Five South Burlington police officers suffered minor injuries Friday when a man suspected of luring a minor for sex tried to escape arrest by crashing his car into a cruiser.
UPDATE: Late Friday night, Chief Shawn Burke told us Michael Sumner was ordered held without bail. He will formally be arraigned Monday, in Chittenden Superior Court.
Sumner, 33 of Burlington is accused of arranging a meeting with a 16-year-old girl who was actually an undercover sex-crimes investigator.
Police say Sumner met the minor online in early June and arranged to meet her at a prearranged location. When he arrived, officers marked cruisers closed in on his silver SUV.
Sumner tried to “smash his way” out, narrowly missing officers who had already exited their vehicles. He then fled toward the parking lot’s exit, where he collided head on with another South Burlington cruiser.
Officers took Sumner into custody after what polcie described as a brief physical struggle.
Sumner and five officers were treated at UVM Medical Center for minor injuries.
Sumner is expected to be charged with luring a child and multiple counts of aggravated assault on a police officer.
