Man sentenced for dragging state trooper with his car

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- A man convicted of aggravated assault for dragging a New Jersey state trooper with his car during a traffic stop is now headed to prison.

State authorities say 22-year-old Daren Rebel, of Westville, received a four-year sentence Wednesday. He was convicted in January on numerous counts, including aggravated assault while eluding police.

Acting Attorney General John Hoffman says authorities received several 911 calls on Aug. 10, 2012, reporting a car driving recklessly on Route 55 in southern Jersey. A state trooper pulled Rebel over and tried to remove him from the car, but the vehicle accelerated and dragged the trooper.

Rebel then struck a vehicle driven by an off-duty State Police captain.

He was indicted in September 2013 of two counts of attempted murder, but a judge dismissed those charges.

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