Three good Samaritans jumped into action to rescue a California Highway Patrol officer who was being beaten on the side of a freeway on-ramp,
One of the people who rushed to the officer’s aid, Everado Navarro, was driving to an event in Orange County on Friday when he saw two men brawling and saw the officer in a headlock.
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Navarro pulled over and was then captured in footage rushing to help the CHP officer in what has since become a viral video.
“I think about my kids at that moment,” Navarro told KCAL.
“And at the same time, I did think the officer may have a family as well.”
According to CHP, the fight occurred at about 5 p.m. near the I-5 Freeway on-ramp and Main Street in Santa Ana.
Two motorcycle cops had approached the suspect, who was accused of yelling at drivers, and issued him a warning.
After warning him, one of the officers left, prompting the suspect to return to try to fight the remaining patrolman, according to CHP.
“I punched the guy in the ribs, but it felt like nothing,” he said. “He just continued grabbing the officer down. At that moment, my only concern was to prevent the person from grabbing the officer’s gun.”
Two other good Samaritans rushed over, and Navarro pulled the suspect off the officer.
The officer sustained only minor injuries to his thumb, and the suspect was hospitalized for injuries to his face.
Navarro said the officer profusely thanked the men who possibly saved his life.
“He said thank you at least five, six times,” said Navarro. “I could sense that he was being very honest from his heart that he knew what type of risk he was going through.”
Everyone's a cop! Amazing footage! CHP Officer Anselmo Templado was attacked after giving a verbal warning to a pedestrian. Civilian bystanders quickly jumped in to help out the struggling officer. pic.twitter.com/k2nZO8O6h7
— UCOPS (@UnitedCops) May 25, 2023
New post: Watch: 3 men aid CHP officer pinned down by suspect https://t.co/8HgFtQWAMC pic.twitter.com/Mye4kv2SDG
— Wildfire.News Criminal and Social News of Interest (@4Wildfire) May 24, 2023
A California Highway Patrol spokesperson praised Navarro and the other two good Samaritans, noting that the situation could have become dire if they hadn’t stepped in.
“It’s not very often that you see something like that. Usually, it’s just people recording and standing by. But I just want to thank those three good Samaritans for helping out our officer,” CHP public information officer Anselmo Templado told Eyewitness News.
The suspect was booked into the Orange County jail on assault with a peace officer and resisting arrest charges.
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