BRADENTON, Fla., (WFLA) – A Bradenton police officer is recovering after being dragged by a car during a traffic stop.

The incident happened on May 20 at 11:35 p.m. at night along Martin Luther King Avenue East.

Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan said Officer Shane Sharp is now at home, resting. They are not able to answer when he will return back to work, since they are still waiting to hear if the officer has to have surgery.

Officer Shane Sharp tried to pull over a car with a busted headlight Tuesday night. After going several blocks, the driver finally pulled over.

“He approached the car, smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from it, asked the driver to shut the car off. In fact, he asked the driver 12 times to shut the car off,” said Chief Melanie Bevan.

Bevan said Sharp opened the car door, reached in, and got the car in park. Then, a fight ensued, where the suspect was screaming that he was going to be killed. In the video, you can see and hear, the officer saying he did not have his gun in his hands.

Another officer came to help try and put the car in park; then, the driver took off.

“Travels 150 feet, dragging Officer Sharp, and as you saw in the video, collides with tree, fence, everything,” Bevan said.

Later on, police said the driver was identified as Lenny Macias-Rangel.

“He decided to attack my officer and put him in harm’s way,” the chief said. “We’re looking at aggravated battery charges, fleeing and eluding charges.”

According to the chief, Macias-Rangel has a previous criminal history and had 2.4 pounds of marijuana in the car he was driving.

Sharp suffered a concussion, arm injuries, a separated shoulder, and leg injuries.

“My officer could have really been seriously injured, and that could have turned out much, much differently than it did. So, by the grace of God,” the chief said.

Sharp has been behind the badge with the Bradenton Police Department for five years and has five years of law enforcement experience up north.

“It’s a scary moment,” Bevan said. “I think it’s a scary moment not only for me, but for everybody here.”

Several officers showed up to the scene to help, including Sharp’s girlfriend. Bradenton Police said she was the one who transported him to the hospital. Now, they are praying for a speedy recovery.