A police officer in the central state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, has been slightly injured after stopping a driver who had a small child seated on his lap, driving his vehicle, local authorities said Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday afternoon in the town of Querfurt, around 80 kilometers (49 miles) west of Leipzig.

What police said

Local police noticed a car being driven erratically and so made a traffic stop.

"Through the rear window the police officer recognized that a small child was seated on the lap of the driver and was steering the car," a report from the Saalekreis police station stated.

Police said the 46-year-old driver stopped and communicated with the officer but then in an attempt to avoid the check "the driver started his engine and began to drive off."

The police officer, who had ordered the man to stop, then gripped the frame of the open window in an attempt to prevent him from escaping. The driver ignored the order and accelerated with the police officer still clinging on.

Police said the officer fell after around 20 meters and sustained injuries to his head and hand.

"Police were able to locate the man and speak to him again at his home address. He too was not in possession of a valid driver's license," police said, adding that they had opened a full investigation.

kb/msh (AFP, open sources)