One charged after Alorton officer dragged by van full of fleeing suspects

One of the three people was charged Thursday after being arrested by police who say they attempted to rob the Flying J Travel Center in Alorton.

Reginald Gray, 57, from East St. Louis, was charged with resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer. Both are misdemeanor charges.

Gray is being held on a $125 bail, Alorton Police Chief David Clark said. The other two individuals who were arrested, a man and a woman, were released from jail.

An unidentified Alorton police officer responded to a call reporting a robbery at The Flying J around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The three people were attempting to flee in a van when the officer "grabbed hold of one of the guys, and the van took off with the officer attempting to hold on," Clark said.

The officer suffered scrapes and bruises.

The East St. Louis Police Department responded and provided assistance in the arrest of the suspects. Clark said there were no theft charges because no items were taken from the Flying J.

"They dropped the items they had as they fled the building," he said.