SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Scottsdale police said Tuesday they have arrested a wrong-way driver who injured four of their officers in Old Town Scottsdale Saturday.
Police said the incident began at about 10:45 p.m. near the El Hefe bar after two officers initiated a traffic stop on the motorist, later identified as Nelious E. Horsley III, 29, as he was driving north on Saddlebag Trail in the wrong direction.
Horsley stopped his vehicle, and an officer instructed him to turn off the vehicle. Scottsdale police said Horsley resisted, resulting in one of the officers opening the car door and attempting to physically extract him out.
A struggle ensued, and the car eventually began to accelerate. Four officers sustained minor injuries as the vehicle drove off, police said.
Horsley allegedly endangered two pedestrians who were crossing the roadway as they drove off.
Detectives were able to track Horsley to his home because police had his driver’s license from the night of the traffic stop.
Horsley was booked into jail on several charges from the original incident, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault on a police officer, endangerment, and felony flight.
Police said Horsley was not charged with hit-and-run because the pedestrians did not wish to aid in prosecution.
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How big is Maricopa County?
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.
The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.