Officer dragged by suspect's car in White Plains

WHITE PLAINS (WABC) -- Police in Westchester County say an officer was dragged by a suspect's car, and that was followed by a wild chase that ended thanks to some cool-headed officers.

What is telling is how uninjured and unharmed 38-year-old Nino Valvano looks in his mug shot.

Officers responded about 4 a.m. Sunday to calls from Lola's Restaurant in White Plains after a customer wasn't allowed inside for being unruly. They thought Valvano was armed.

When an officer approached Valvano's car to investigate, police say he put the vehicle in drive, and hit the officer.

The Mount Kisco resident drove away and dragged 40-year-old White Plains Officer Anthony Carra 100-feet down a city street.

The officer made a radio call after he fell from the vehicle.

"East Post and Wallace. Truck 1; get units over to Westchester Avenue. You got a gray Blazer. Stop that car right there!" Carra said on the radio.

"Officer Carra held on, was given really no choice but to hold on, in fear that had he let go, he would have went underneath the car," said Lt. Todd Moskalik, of the White Plains Police Department.

Officer Carra was rushed to White Plains Hospital where doctors treated the 14-year veteran for cuts and bruises.

The Public Safety Commissioner told Eyewitness News that after Carra fell from the vehicle, there was a remarkable level of restraint by his officers, who pursued the fleeing vehicle onto 287, and that's when Valvano called 911.

"Sir, you're not going to be, just pull over and let the officers deal with you, OK?" the 911 operator said.

"But I don't want to get," Valvano said.

"You're not going to get shot. This is the White Plains police. I'm talking to the cops that are behind you. So just pull over right now," the 911 operator said.

"I can't be any more proud in my officers in the way they handled this situation where quite honestly, deadly physical force was being used against this police officer," said David Chong, the White Plains Public Safety Commissioner.

Back at the restaurant where Sunday's police response started, a manager didn't want to talk on-camera but told Eyewitness News their cameras did not capture what happened.

Police body and dash cameras recorded footage described by authorities as jumpy. But it's the audio said Commissioner Chong that tells the real story.

"It could have ended in many different ways other than the way it ended. And I'm just so glad it ended the way it did," Commissioner Chong said.

Officer Carra was treated for minor injuries.

Valvano was arrested, and now faces multiple charges.