A Pennsylvania State Police trooper who was shot three times during a violent confrontation with a speeding driver saved his own life by applying a tourniquet, police said.
Cpl. Seth Kelly, 39, remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition Thursday after undergoing a second surgery, state police said. Kelly was shot when a traffic stop turned into a gunfight along the side of State Route 33 near State Route 191 in Plainfield Township, Northampton County Tuesday.
Kelly, a 13-year veteran, suffered wounds to his neck, shoulder area and leg and had to undergo the additional surgery to remove a bullet.
The suspect, 22-year-old Daniel Khalil Clary, is charged with two counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, in addition to two counts of criminal homicide, assault of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault and other related offenses, according to charging documents.
"My office is committed to making sure that this individual gets a very, very, very long jail sentence consistent with the maximum sentence that the law provides," Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said.
The ordeal unfolded around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday when Trooper Ryan Seiple, a six-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police, pulled over a Pontiac sedan for speeding. A trucker's dashcam captured the car weaving in and out of lanes moments before being stopped.
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Clary was issued a citation, but after Seiple returned to his cruiser and began to drive away, Clary flagged him down.
Police say Seiple became suspicious Clary was under the influence of marijuana when they spoke.
Seiple advised Clary to remain on the scene while he called for backup. When Kelly arrived, the two officers proceeded to do a field sobriety test on Clary, according to state police.
The officers determined Clary was driving under the influence, and when they tried to arrest him, he began fighting with the troopers, state police said.
"It was a knock-down, drag-out fight on the side of the road with cars speeding by them," Capt. Rich D'Ambrosio said.
The tussle nearly spilled into the adjacent road as both officers attempted to subdue Clary. But he managed to break free and ran back to his car, retrieved a semi-automatic gun and opened fire on the troopers, D'Ambrosio said. Kelly and Seiple returned fire, hitting Clary before he fled the scene.
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Kelly was hit at least three times but used a police-issued tourniquet to stop the bleeding from one of his wounds.
He was later airlifted in critical condition to St. Luke's University Hospital in Bethlehem. State police Capt. Richard D'Ambrosio said he's "very hopeful" Kelly will survive. Sieple, 31, received a minor injury during the scuffle. He was not shot.
Clary drove himself to Easton Hospital and was later transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital's Cedar Crest campus where he underwent surgery.
At Easton, he admitted to shooting at the officers and attempting to remove and disarm their guns, police said. He does not have a permit to carry a firearm.
It was unclear if Clary had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. He was arraigned on Wednesday at his hospital bed.
