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Denver DA: Driver Who Critically Injured Officer John Adsit Lied To Get License

DENVER (CBS4) - The Denver Police Fugitive Unit has arrested the Denver man who drove into four police officers, severely injuring one of them, while the officers were escorting hundreds of East High School students who were marching down East Colfax Avenue for a protest.

ADSIT PRAYER SERVICE john adsit christopher booker
Officer John Adsit's bicycle (credit: CBS)

Christopher Booker, 42, is being held for investigation for assault in the first degree, vehicular assault, attempt to influence a public servant and forgery -- all felonies. He is facing a total of 20 counts in relation to the injury crash.

Christopher Booker
Christopher Booker (credit: CBS)

Police officer John Adsit is recovering at home after multiple surgeries. (READ MORE: Officer Adsit Returns Home From Hospital)

John Adsit
John Adsit leaves the hospital (credit: CBS)

After the accident Booker told CBS4 that he didn't remember the accident because he suffered from a seizure.

Denver police say Booker is currently in custody. According to the arrest affidavit Booker lied on multiple accounts about his medical condition in order to get his driver's license and shouldn't have been driving. Officers said the investigation took a long time because they had to search through many medical and DMV records.

"More so then I am a police officer, I am a driver, my wife, my children, my friends are all out on the same roadways as Mr. Booker and that's where it really hits home," said Denver Police Traffic Investigation Unit Sgt. Michael Farr.

Mitch Morrissey
Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey (credit: CBS)

"We wanted to make sure that we combed through every medical record that we could get to get this filing correct, or make this filing at all," Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said at a news conference.

VIDEO: News Conference: Driver Who Critically Injured Officer Adsit Arrested

Booker said he had a seizure and said the first time he learned about his accident at East Colfax Avenue and High Street was when a police officer gave him the "evil eye" in the hospital. He said he asked a nurse why that officer was looking at him, and the nurse, he said, told him, "You hurt one of his buddies."

Black Mercedes Christopher Booker John Adsit
The black Mercedes driven by Christopher Booker that struck four Denver Police officers (credit: CBS)

Booker said his seizure was the fourth he's suffered in recent years -- but he's never had one behind the wheel of a car before. He also explained that with seizures a body will go limp or stiff, which could explain -- he said -- why his Mercedes plowed into the police after his leg slammed on the gas pedal.

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An image of Officer John Adsit's bicycle after the crash (credit: Jennifer Brice)

"I mean if I had known what I was doing it would've never happened," he said. "I'm not out to kill."

He offered apologies to Adsit and his family.

RELATED STORIES: Officer John Adsit Story Archive

"It's our allegation that he was aware of his medical condition when you down to the Department of Motor Vehicles and you re-up for your driver's license. You have to answer certain questions about your physical conditions," Morrissey said. "It's our position that he incorrectly or didn't tell the truth about his medical condition on nine separate dates … that under our statute is forgery. It also is part of the other charges of attempting to influence a public official."

Investigators also added that there is no evidence that Booker intentionally tried to run down the officers.

Booker declined a request from CBS4 to make a comment. The Adsit family also said they wouldn't make a comment at this time.

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