CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) — Acknowledging prayer, but also calling for action, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn announced the nine-count indictment of a teenager charged in the case of a Cheektowaga police officer who was struck by a stolen vehicle and critically injured.

45-year-old Troy Blackchief was one of the officers helping Depew police end a pursuit related to stolen vehicles early in the morning of February 6. As part of his road to recovery, Blackchief’s family announced in March that he will need to receive a new skull bone, which will have to be “3D printed and surgically placed.”

A 17-year veteran of the Cheektowaga Police Department, Blackchief serves in the patrol division, as well as the SWAT team.

He had been deploying stop sticks on Union Road at Route 33 when he was struck. Flynn detailed the situation during a conference Friday morning.

Flynn says the 17-year-old defendant and approximately five others were in the area of Penora Street in Lancaster, allegedly in the process of stealing as many vehicles as they could. At some point, Flynn says the teen stole a white Jeep Grand Cherokee, which had the keys already in the vehicle.

Shortly before 4:30 a.m., the defendant and his friends were allegedly driving vehicles at high rates of speed and were noticed by Depew police. A pursuit began and Blackchief was eventually struck while anticipating the vehicles coming up Union Road.

The Jeep that hit Blackchief was eventually found abandoned in a parking lot.

On Thursday, the defendant was arraigned on a nine-count indictment:

• attempted murder
• aggravated assault upon a police officer
• first-degree assault (two counts)
• assault on a peace officer, police officer, fireman or EMS professional
• grand larceny
• criminal possession of stolen property
• reckless endangerment
• unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle

The teen was held on $80,000 bail. It’s not clear when he’s scheduled to reappear in court.