METHUEN — Two Lawrence men have been charged with possessing and attempting to sell crack cocaine following a drug bust Monday night during which one police officer was nearly run over and another had her car rammed by the fleeing suspects.

Nathanael Nunez, 21, 220 Bruce St., was arrested about 10 p.m. on Newport Street with Jose M. Camilo, 34, 11 Custer St., a passenger who initially told police he lived in Haverhill.

Nunez was arraigned yesterday in Lawrence District Court on a host of charges, including two counts of assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly drove his car into a detective's undercover cruiser and nearly ran over a police officer who was standing in the road, gun drawn, attempting to stop the fleeing car.

In addition to the assault charge, Nunez also faces charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, operating recklessly to endanger, speeding, malicious destruction of property over $250, operating negligently, and both red light and marked lanes violations.

Camilo's charges include: possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate drug laws. Detectives seized 3.8 grams of crack cocaine and 3.2 grams of cocaine.

The incident started after detectives conducting surveillance in the Haverhill Street area witnessed a drug transaction between Nunez, Camilo and people from another vehicle in the parking lot of the Merrimack Car Wash and Laundry on Burnham Road off Route 110.

When police went in for the arrest, Nunez initially stopped his car, but then took off again, hitting the passenger side of the undercover car, a Nissan Pathfinder driven by Detective Tracey Connor.

Camilo then nearly struck Sgt. Chris Max as he fled the scene, a police report said.

The suspects were found soon after on Newport Street when a resident of a home there called police to inform them that a car had just pulled into their driveway and shut off the lights.

The two men were arrested by Officer Arthur Hardy along with Connor and Sgt. Chris Max.

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