Editor’s note: Viewer discretion advised. If you don’t want to see a guy pointing a gun at himself and being hit by a car, don’t watch this video.

Marana Police Department made national news yesterday when they released dash cam footage from a February incident in which an officer rammed an armed suspect with his patrol car.

Mario M. Valencia, armed with a rifle he had just stolen from the Walmart on Cortaro Road, was walking down Coca Cola Drive on of Feb. 19 when Officer Michael Rapiejko stuck him with a patrol car. In the video, Valencia can be seen firing a round into the air.

Rapiejko accelerated his patrol car and struck Valencia near the entrance of Continental Ranch Self Storage, sending Valencia flying into the air and knocking the rifle several out of his grasp. Valencia suffered serious but nonlife-threatening injuries. He was released from the hospital two days after the incident. Valencia is now in Pima County Jail on counts of robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, arson and theft related to a string of crimes in midtown Tucson.

No officers were harmed, and the Pima County Attorney’s Office declined to charge Rapiejko over his use of force. Marana Police Chief Terry Rozema said Rapiejko’s actions saved lives, including Valencia’s.

What do you think: Was this a case of excessive force or a necessary move?

This article appears in Apr 9-15, 2015.

13 replies on “Excessive Force or a Necessary Move? Marana Officer Hits Armed Suspect With Patrol Car”

  1. Great job Officer. That was quick thinking that stopped a “suicide by cop” attempt by this individual. You eliminated a lot of heartache for a lot of people.

  2. And now Marana Police get to pay for the private truck they hit, the wall they destroyed and the cost to repair the police car destroyed.

  3. He committed multiple crimes using aggressive violence and when he became a victim of his own devices you cry foul? Nice journalism.

  4. I must say, I’ve never seen that type of tactic used to catch a suspect. Is it actually a method, or did the cop make it up?

  5. I think it was pretty amazing. Most times, in situations such as this, the criminal winds up very dead.

    I have absolutely no sympathy for Valencia

  6. I think it was pretty amazing. Most times, in situations such as this, the criminal winds up very dead.

    I have absolutely no sympathy for Valencia.

  7. When did shoplifting, being mentally ill and suicidal become death penalty offenses? I missed the passage of this law, in a swat sniper situation a “order to kill has to be ordered” when did this officer get the “order to kill”, when did he have the authority to decide he could kill this man with a squad car, I mean his actions cannot be explained as if he was merely going to disable the man, no non-lethal weapon was used, he used deadly weapon/automobile, now one can be sadistic, cold hearted, less than human and decide his mental illness suicidal ideology is sufficient to warrant a death sentence but then one has to wonder what kind of human being are you! I guess the good thing is we all do get judged one day by Jesus and I bet those who think this action was ok who cheer when someone is executed, murdered by law enforcement will have a rude awakening, eternity is a long time to pay for ones arrogance and ignoring what Jesus taught!

  8. The good thing is one can believe anything one wishes, do as one wishes but judgment day is a atonement day, this fellow obviously was mentally ill what is the excuse the sadists give here who glory in inhumanity, ungodly thinking, I guess I pity him and those here who like Jesus said on that cross “forgive them lord they not what they do”! But like the two thieves one either side of him, one went to heaven one did not!

  9. The good thing is video’s like this and the one in SC, and other places are exposing the fact some people seek law enforcement jobs not as public servants but to “do what they seek deep down, murder under the color of law”!

  10. Bad guy apprehended with no loss of life or even injury. I’m calling it a win. Not sure I want to see this added to standard procedures though.

  11. This is .02% of a cop car plowing into a known and dangerous suspect that I approve of the actions. I hope this does not begin a trend. What if the suspect had his back broken and was paralyzed? The tax-payer would have to pay for his medical treatment in prison. No loss of life though, refreshing.

  12. Officer Rapiejko took action without awareness of the tactical situation, without any apparent consultation with fellow officiers already at the scene and without any training on the technique he used to remove the apparent threat to public safety. That does not make Officer Rapiejko a bad officer but he did make a serious of serious mistakes under pressure.

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