3 Phoenix police officers injured after car hits them, crashes into gas station

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Shocking video: a driver targeting Phoenix Police officers -- running them down outside a valley Quik Trip gas station near 25th Avenue and Camelback Road on Tuesday morning.

It's hard to watch -- the surveillance video shows the moment a man drove his car towards three police officers at the QT. You can see his car speeding through the parking lot -- one of the officers went flying through the air.

For one of those officers, it was his first day on the job. Two of them ended up in a hospital. The third officer was able to arrest the suspect. They are all expected to be OK.

The suspect is now facing attempted murder and aggravated assault charges.

In the surveillance video's lower left corner, you can see a red car drive through. In the lower right corner, it picks up speed -- heading right towards the three officers.

"These officers could have easily been killed and I thank God that we are not planning three funerals right now," said Phoenix Police Chief Joe Yahner.

Police say 44-year-old Marc LaQuon Payne aimed at the officers and stepped on the gas, plowing into them -- sending a 33-year-old officer on his first day on the job cartwheeling through the air.

His sergeant was trapped underneath the vehicle with a broken leg. The car just missed another officer. He ran up and started battling with Payne, along with the rookies.

"Unbelievable.. our officer hits glass, gets back up, takes suspect in custody, runs over us, still fights with us as we try to take him into custody," said Yahner.

It took a Taser, but they finally subdued him.

"We have all heard about officers ambushed across the nation, but this happened here in Phoenix, to your Phoenix Police officers.. it is unacceptable," said Yahner.

The officers' names have not been released.  The 41-year-old sergeant is now home with a broken leg. The 33-year-old rookie officer remains hospitalized with non-life threatening head injuries. A 36-year-old officer sustained minor injuries after fighting with the suspect.

Police believe Payne was impaired at the time of the attack, which they believe was intentional.

FOX 10 was there as Payne was brought into jail. He kept quiet as reporters asked him questions, but now we're learning more about his past.

Chief Yahner calls the suspect's actions intentional, cowardly and unacceptable. And it turns out, Payne has a history of attacking Phoenix Police officers.

Payne was arrested in 1997 for assaulting three officers. According to court paperwork, officers pulled him over during a traffic stop. He had a warrant out for his arrest. When officers tried to take him into custody, he fought -- elbowing and kicking them.

He cut a deal in that case and was put on probation.

Nearly 20 years later, Payne is in jail for attacking three officers again, only this time, he's facing attempted murder charges.