(CNN) A police officer in Newport News, Virginia, died after a car drove away during a traffic stop and dragged her, police said.

Officer Katie Thyne and another officer responded to a drug complaint Thursday evening and conducted a stop on a car. After the officers asked the driver to step out of the car, the driver accelerated, dragging Thyne for about a block, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew told reporters on Friday.

The car then crashed into a tree, leaving Thyne pinned between the car's door and the tree, Drew said. The officer suffered multiple injuries and was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said in a statement.

"She was a true hero and served this community," Drew said. "She is and will always be a valued member of the department."

Thyne, who was from New Hampshire, joined the department in 2018 after serving in the US Navy, Drew said.

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