Man Punches Cop, Then Tries To Grab His Gun In Sterling: Police

STERLING, VA—A man punched a deputy and then tried to grab an officer's gun from its holster following a hit-and-run incident Friday in the 500 block of Shaw Road, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.

Santos T. Cruz, 49, of Sterling, was charged with two counts of assault and battery on law enforcement, attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer, hit and run, obstruction of justice, DWI, driving without a license and grand larceny.

Shortly after 5 p.m., police responded to the scene for hit-and-run complaint. Someone had seen a driver stopped in a parking lot and slumped over behind the wheel, and tried to rouse him. Once he woke up, Cruz drove in reverse, hit a parked vehicle and drove from the scene.

Police spotted and stopped him nearby, after which Cruz punched a deputy in the chest. When police tried to arrest him, he tried to grab an officer's gun from its holster. He finally was subdued, arrested and taken to jail. After police found he didn't have permission to drive the vehicle, the grand larceny charge was added to his list of offenses.