El Dorado man facing charges in police chase

Report says driver took patrol car

A deputy arrested an El Dorado man who reportedly commandeered the officer’s car and tried to flee, authorities said Tuesday.

The Arkansas State Police will investigate because the deputy fired his weapon at the patrol car.

The El Dorado man, Kyle Schroder, 20, is in the Union County jail. Authorities are preparing affidavits seeking formal charges of aggravated assault to be filed against Schroder, state police said.

The deputy, whom authorities did not identify, was chasing a stolen vehicle about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to an account by the state police. As the vehicle traveled along Lynn Fite Road onto U.S. 82, west of El Dorado, it went out of control crashed into a tree, a state police report said. The deputy tried to arrest the driver, identified as Schroder, but a fight ensued, eventually moving from the road to a residence, the state police said.

The report said Schroder eventually overpowered the deputy and fled back to the highway and got into the patrol car. A rifle, readily accessible, was inside the vehicle, police said.

As the patrol car began to move away, the deputy fired his pistol, the state police report said. Authorities said they believe that one round penetrated the vehicle exterior.

The deputy had minor injuries.

The sheriff ’s office requested that the state police conduct an investigation into the officer-involved shooting.

Special agents of the state police Criminal Investigation Division will prepare a file to submit to the Union County prosecuting attorney to use in determining whether use of deadly force by the deputy was consistent with Arkansas laws.