Man dragged officer and tried to ram family who opened fire, Wichita police say

A 36-year-old Wichita man has been arrested after allegedly driving his car into a home with family members inside, driving toward other family members who opened fire and dragging a Wichita police officer with his 2000 Ford Taurus.

The Police Department said the incident started at around 10 p.m. on Tuesday after a house in the 1100 block of South Hiram was rammed with the Taurus. Inside the home were six people, ranging in age from 3 to 58 and including the wife and two children of Samuel Ryan Higgins, who was later arrested on nine counts, including aggravated assault, aggravated assault on an officer, criminal damage to property and driving under the influence.

The driver left that house, police said, and went to the 2600 block of South Larkin, where police were called after shots were fired. A 37-year-old man and 42-year-old woman, both family members of Higgins, reported the person reversed the vehicle toward them.

The 37-year-old man fired multiple rounds, hitting the Taurus, police said.

The driver then drove back to the 1100 block of South Hiram and rammed a Jeep owned by one of the residents at the home, police said.

Officers arrived and told the driver to get out of the vehicle. He refused. He hit the officer and then put the car in reverse, dragging the officer with him, police said. The person then put the car in drive and started heading toward a utility pole. The officer was able to steer the vehicle onto a curb, disabling the car, police said.

Other officers arrived and the driver was arrested.

Officer Charley Davidson said no officers were injured and Higgins was checked for minor injuries after he was tased. Davidson did not know what started the incident.