MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — A Milledgeville police officer was slightly injured early Saturday when he was hit by the side view mirror of a vehicle whose driver failed to stop following the officer’s command.

One of the suspects believed responsible for the crime against the officer was arrested after running away on foot, while the other three suspects were arrested on drug charges related to a fight call that the officer responded to in the area of West Charlton Court.

The Milledgeville police officer was identified as Ryan Chapple.

The officer identified the suspects as Tony Poole, Tykeria Vassar, Thomas Wayne Harper and Sanderious Taylor.

Taylor, Harper and Vassar were each charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

Poole, meanwhile, was charged with one count of possession of marijuana and one count of felony obstruction of a police officer.

In an incident report, Chapple said while looking for the possible fight, he spotted several people sitting in a black SUV in the cul-de-sac.

When Chapple pulled up beside the SUV, he said in his report that the vehicle was full of smoke and he could smell the strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from the inside it.

While walking over to talk with the people inside the SUV, Chapple said the driver turned the initial switch on and put the vehicle in gear.

Moments later, Chapple said he was struck by the driver side mirror, and the SUV drove off.

Chapple said the SUV sped up on West Charlton Court and then made a right turn onto West Charlton Street where the officer temporarily lost sight of the vehicle.

Chapple, who was being assisted by fellow officers at the time, later spotted the SUV drive up to a house at the end West Hall Street. The officer immediately turned his blue lights on and pulled in behind the SUV.

With his service weapon drawn, Chapple said he gave loud verbal commands for the people inside to show him their hands.

While waiting a fellow officer for safety purposes, Chapple said the driver of the SUV yelled out that he wasn’t the one who hit him.

The man behind the wheel at that time was identified as Taylor, according to the incident report.

When police officers searched the SUV, they discovered a small bag of marijuana as well as a .45-caliber Hi-Point handgun that contained seven bullets in the magazine in front of Harper’s seat, Chapple said in his report.

Officer Linc Boyer later stopped a vehicle at the Jet Food Store at 301 E. Hancock St., which led to Poole’s apprehension.

Boyer said Poole told him that he and the other three suspects had been smoking marijuana together earlier. Poole told the officer he ran because he was on probation, but that he wasn’t driving the SUV when it hit Chapple.