A 19-year-old Murrysville man, who police say almost hit a police officer and police dog Magnus while trying to flee a traffic stop, was arrested within an hour on multiple criminal charges.

Zachary J. Jackson was arrested about 12:30 a.m. Saturday when several municipal police officers went to a residence along Pin Oak Court, where he lives with his parents.

Jackson was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and failing to obey an officer directing traffic. He was ordered held in the county jail on $5,000 bond.

Officer Scott Kettren, Magnus’s handler, reported in court documents that he was among several officers who went to the 3900 block of Laurel Oak Circle to serve an arrest warrant for aggravated assault from Monroeville police on Nicholas Zeto, 18, who lives there.

When police approached the door and rang the doorbell around 11:45 p.m. Friday, Kettren said officers could hear voices inside and the “smell of burning marijuana.”

Kettren said three people ran out of the house, ignoring orders to stop, and Kettren warned that he would retrieve Magnus from his SUV to locate them if they did not surrender.

As Kettren began getting Magnus out of his vehicle parked along the street, he reported seeing the headlights of a white Hyundai Elantra sedan turn on and one of the fleeing males, Jackson, behind the steering wheel.

Kettren said he was unable to leash Magnus as the vehicle drove toward him and Jackson ignored repeated warnings to stop.

“This action caused me to fear that the driver wished me harm and intended to strike me with the vehicle,” Kettren wrote.

Holding Magnus by his collar in one hand and and drawing his service handgun with the other, Kettren reported that he “nearly used deadly force against the driver, but was able to sidestep to my right and pull Magnus out of the path.”

“As the car passed, I kicked with my foot to help push away and make sure we were clear of its path,” Kettren said.

Kettren said he got the license plate number and traced it to a Pin Oak Court address. He and other officers waited there with Jackson’s parents.

Kettren said Jackson was arrested after he pulled into the driveway.

“I asked him why he almost struck me and he stated that he had panicked. I asked him if he observed that I was pointing a gun at him and I was holding a dog, and he said he did,” Kettren wrote. “(Jackson) apologized multiple times explaining that he panicked.”

Police also apprehended Zeto that morning.

Jackson’s hearing is scheduled March 17.

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