Good Samaritans Will Receive Citizen’s Awards For Helping Deputy Who Was Attacked During Traffic Stop
According to a local sheriff, two good Samaritans stopped to assist a deputy who was being assaulted by a suspect at a traffic stop this week.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Anthony Zimmerer stopped a black Ford F-150 when the car crossed through both lanes of traffic and almost hit him.
“Two witnesses saw what was happening and jumped out of their vehicles to help. Padilla thrashed on the ground and tried to bite Zimmerer’s leg. A Taser had no effect on him. The struggle caused the deputy’s body camera’s main power button to switch off before more deputies got to the scene and helped take Padilla into custody,” according to Volusia Sheriffs Facebook page.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Officer posted the body cam footage from the traffic stop to show what happened.
When Zimmerer attempted to talk with the driver, Frank Padilla Velez, 41, started behaving erratically, according to the sheriff’s office. Padilla struck the deputy in the head with his elbow when he attempted to handcuff him, and a struggle followed.
According to the sheriff’s office, two people saw the clash and got out of their cars to assist the officer in apprehending Padilla.
Zimmerer’s bodycam cuts out after the struggle, but the sheriff’s office says Padilla thrashed on the ground and attempted to bite Zimmerer’s leg. Padilla was shocked by a Taser, but it had little affect on him.
Padilla is restrained on the ground in bodycam video from deputies that appeared on the scene minutes after the incident started. A bloody wound on the scalp is visible on one of the men who helped the deputy.
“You hit me, buddy. You hit me,” the citizen said to Padilla.
According to the sheriff’s office, one of the good Samaritans had corralled Padilla’s dog, who had leapt out of his vehicle to protect him, and safely returned it to the cab.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood has declared that the two men who came to Zimmerer’s aid would be awarded with citizen’s awards.
“All my respect and gratitude goes out to these two men who took action when they saw a deputy under attack. It makes me proud to know that in Volusia County, our residents still have our deputies’ backs.” Chitwood said in a statement.
Padilla was charged with resisting an officer of violence, assault on a law enforcement officer, driving when his license was suspended, reckless driving, and having an expired registration.
