A Fort Stewart soldier was arrested early Monday morning after an incident in which Hinesville police fired shots at his vehicle after he allegedly nearly hit an officer while driving away from a traffic stop.  

The incident remains under investigation.

According to Hinesville Police Department Det. Jeff Lui, the soldier, Derrick Drayton, faces charges of aggravated assault, leaving the scene of an accident and open container as a result of the incident, which also sent two police officers to Liberty Regional Medical Center, where they were treated for minor injuries and released.

Drayton was unharmed, Lui said.

Witnesses initially called police and said a man was driving near Burger King on E.G. Miles Parkway around 2 a.m. Monday when his vehicle hit a utility pole.  

An officer spotted the vehicle on Sharon Street and pulled the driver, who turned out to be Drayton, over. After giving police his driver’s license, Drayton then allegedly drove away and nearly hit an officer in the process. The two officers involved in the traffic stop then pulled their weapons and fired an undisclosed number of shots at Drayton’s vehicle.

Both he and the vehicle were later found on Cobra Circle in the Eagles Landing subdivision. He surrendered peacefully, according to Lui.

More information as it becomes available.