Lynchburg police release name of man who fell off horse, was struck by officer's vehicle

From staff reports 59 min ago

Lynchburg police on Monday released the name of a man who they said suffered serious injuries after he fell from his horse during a police chase Saturday and an officer accidentally struck him with a vehicle. ... Steve Rucker Jr., 57, of Amherst is in serious but stable condition at Lynchburg General Hospital, the city police department said in a news release.

LPD said officers responded Saturday evening to 5th and Commerce streets for a report of a wanted person who was riding a horse. ... Officers told the man he had a warrant for violating a protective order, but he would not comply with officers’ orders and fled on his horse, riding head on into traffic, the police department has said.

Soon after, the man fell off the horse at 15th and Polk streets while officers were trying to stop him. As officers approached, one accidentally hit the man with a vehicle while the man was laying in the roadway, police have said. ... The horse was not injured and was returned to the man’s family.

Virginia State Police is investigating the incident and LPD is conducting an internal investigation. The Lynchburg police officer has been placed on restricted duty, as per LPD policy, and LPD has said it will release the officer’s name within seven days of the incident, pending the results of a threat assessment.