Three courageous good Samaritans jumped into action to rescue a California Highway Patrol officer who was being savagely beaten on the side of a busy road, intense video shows.
One of the people who rushed to the officer’s aid, Everado Navarro, was driving to an event in Orange County Friday when he saw the two men braling — and noticed the officer in a headlock.
Navarro immediately pulled over and was then captured 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.”
The altercation occurred last Friday at about 5 p.m. near the I-5 Freeway on-ramp and Main Street in Santa Ana, according to CHP.
Two motorcycle cops had approached the suspect, who is accused of yelling at drivers, and issued him a warning.
After giving him a warning, one of the officers left, prompting the suspect to return to try and fight the remaining patrolman, according to CHP.
“Like he actually grabbed his bike, the officer’s bike,” Navarro recalled.
The suspect was able to throw the officer off his bike and pin him to the ground, at one point placing the officer in a chokehold. At that point, Navarro was driving by and immediately sprung into action.
“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 avoid the person from grabbing the officer’s gun.”
Two other Good Samaritans rushed over and Navarro was able to pull 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 group of 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.”
A California Highway Patrol spokesperson praised Navarro and the other two Good Samaritans’ help, 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.
Once the altercation was broken up, the suspect was arrested.
He was booked into the Orange County jail on assault with a peace officer and resisting arrest charges.
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