An officer shot a man in the shoulder after he sped away during a routine traffic stop.

PORTLAND (AP) – A Cumberland County deputy sheriff was legally justified when he shot and wounded a man during a traffic stop in Gray, the attorney general ruled Tuesday.

Steven Hanson, 25, of Kennebunk, was shot once in the shoulder after he drove off when Deputy James Ambrose asked to see his license, dragging the officer along Route 26.

The attorney general’s office investigated whether Ambrose was justified in firing his gun, a routine procedure in cases involving use of deadly force by law enforcement officers.

Attorney General Steven Rowe determined Ambrose believed Hanson was using unlawful deadly force against him and that deadly force on the deputy’s part was necessary to protect himself from death or serious bodily injury.

The incident began around 11 p.m. on Sept. 10 when Ambrose spotted Hanson’s car with a defective headlight south of the Gray Village Plaza and pulled it over.

When Hanson couldn’t produce his driver’s license, Ambrose suspected he might be drunk and went back to his cruiser to call for backup.

When he returned, Hanson tried to drive off. The deputy jerked open the car door and tried to stop him.

Hanson continued to drive, with Ambrose clinging to the door frame and being dragged down the road. As the car moved along, the deputy reached for his gun and shot Hanson. Ambrose fell to the road and the car’s left rear tire ran over his left leg.

Another deputy caught Hanson a short time later. Three other young men, all from Biddeford, were in the car and the vehicle had illegally attached license plates.

Hanson underwent surgery at Maine Medical Center for his wound and was released. Ambrose suffered minor injuries.

Hanson is charged with aggravated assault and assaulting a police officer.

AP-ES-12-02-03 1044EST