VALDOSTA, Ga. – The search is on for a driver who assaulted a Georgia police officer with a car during a traffic stop Tuesday afternoon.

When Officer Donald Richardson with the Valdosta Police Department (VPD) stopped a car around 4:20 p.m. and approached the passenger side window to speak with the occupants, the driver reportedly placed the vehicle in drive, and the car began to pull away, according to the VPD.

As he commanded the driver to stop the car, Richardson was able to hold on to the passenger door while the driver attempted to flee the scene. According to VPD reports, Richardson was dragged approximately 750 feet by the car after losing his footing before he could safely disengage from the car as it fled.

Despite his injuries, Richardson was able to provide a description of the vehicle and its occupants to area dispatchers following the incident, ultimately leading to the discovery of the car. According to reports, the car was found abandoned nearby at the intersection of University Dr. and Seymour St.

Investigators reportedly discovered substances in the vehicle that tested positive for narcotics. Information regarding the identities of the suspects has been withheld due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, according to VPD.

Richardson was treated for scrapes and abrasions to his arms and legs.