Man Shot by Officer Faces Drug, Assault Charges

A Washington man who was shot and wounded by a D.C. police officer
has been charged with assaulting a police officer and drug
possession, authorities said yesterday.

Two officers were on patrol about 9:20 p.m. Saturday when George Sutton, 18,
drove past them in a Chevrolet Caprice station wagon. Sgt. Joe Gentile, a
police spokesman, said the officers smelled the odor of marijuana coming from
the vehicle and followed it.

The car stopped in the 1900 block of Lincoln Road NE, and Sutton and a
passenger got out. As the officers tried to stop the men, Sutton began
struggling with one of the officers. During the struggle, the officer's
handgun discharged; the bullet hit Sutton in the back and traveled into his
shoulder.

Sutton, who police said lives in Northeast Washington, was taken to
Washington Hospital Center and released into police custody yesterday.
Gentile said police confiscated three "large" plastic bags full of a
substance they suspect is marijuana.

The passenger was not charged.

_ Copyright 1997 The Washington Post Company