May 20, 2010 --Santa Monica Police officials say Dante Glenn Leverette, 32, of Los Angeles was the man who shot a police officer in the early hours of Tuesday morning during a DUI stop.

Leverette is in the hospital being treated for multiple gunshot wounds he received during a confrontation with police. He is expected to survive, and will be booked for attempted homicide. Sgt. Jay Trisler wrote in an e-mail that Leverette “has a significant criminal history.”

The officer Leverette allegedly shot in the abdomen is under observation at a hospital, but is “doing fine,” Trisler wrote. The officer’s name has not been released. He is described as a 16-year veteran of the force.

Leverette was the passenger in a vehicle pulled over at approximately 1:40 a.m. on Tuesday at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Bay Street due to suspicion of a drunk driver at the wheel. The officer called for backup. While the driver received a field sobriety test, SMPD officials say, Leverette jumped out of the vehicle and shot at the officers, injuring one. The officers returned fire, and the suspect fled. The driver, described as a 46-year-old man from Ohio, was arrested.

“The driver of the vehicle was cooperative and investigators have not charged him with anything attached to the attempt homicide,” Trisler wrote. “The driver has been released from custody.”

After Leverette left the scene, a perimeter of the area was set up. The SMPD’s S.W.A.T. Team and K-9 officers were called in to assist with the search. Officers from the City of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Inglewood, El Segundo, Gardena and California Highway Patrol also responded.

Leverette was located at approximately 5:10 a.m. in an alley adjacent to where the initial traffic stop occurred. He confronted the K-9 and officers, according to the SMPD. Officers fired upon Leverette, and he was taken to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries from the K-9 contact and wounds received from the gunshots.

The criminal investigation is being handled by the SMPD’s Robbery/Homicide Unit. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Officer Involved Shooting Team is assisting.

Those with information should contact Detective Michael Bambrick at (310) 458-8932, Sgt. Ira Rutan at (310) 458-8959 or the SMPD’s 24-hour line at (310) 458-8426.