Man Allegedly Throws Knife At Officer After Fleeing On Skateboard

EL PASO, Texas — A man allegedly threw a knife at an officer and hit two officers with a skateboard during a chase with police in an Eastside neighborhood, El Paso police said.

About 2:30 a.m. Monday, officers patrolling in the 1800 block of Sherya noticed 27-year-old Matthew Hart of Arlington, Texas, acting suspicious by walking between homes and looking in backyards in the area.

The officers attempted to contact Hart, but Hart evaded officers on a skateboard. Hart ran into one of the police units and then a foot chase started. During the foot pursuit, Hart allegedly threw a knife at one of the officers, police said.

The knife missed the officer. The officer used a Taser on Hart, but Hart continued running. As officers approached Hart, he allegedly began to swing his skateboard at the officers, striking two of them, police said.

Hart was taken into custody after a struggle. He was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated assault against a public servant, a first degree felony, and one count of evading arrest and/or detention, a class B misdemeanor.

The two officers that were struck with the skateboard were taken to Physician’s Hospital for treatment.

Hart was booked into the El Paso County Jail and is being held under a $30,300 bond.