Shocking Moment: A California Highway Patrol officer is thrown to the ground on a motorcycle and struck by a thug on the side of a busy freeway exit before three Good Samaritans come to his aid
- Last Friday, a California Highway Patrol officer was seen being attacked by a pedestrian before three bystanders stepped in and came to his aid
- The brutal beating was captured on a cellphone at around 5:00 p.m. at the north entrance of Main Street to the 5 Freeway in Santa Ana
- Jaime Paniagua, 33, was taken into custody. He faces multiple charges, including assault and assault against a peace officer, and resisting arrest
Three Good Samaritans rushed to the rescue of a California Highway Patrol officer who was brutally beaten by a pedestrian on the side of a busy freeway.
The moment was captured by a bystander using his cellphone at the north entrance of Main Street to the 5 Freeway in Santa Ana around 5 p.m. Friday last week.
The CHP officer had been called to the area after receiving reports of a man yelling at motorists and attempting to take down a highway sign.
He was about to let the man go with a warning when the pedestrian brutally attacked him, knocked him to the ground and began beating him.
Three men are seen rushing to the officer’s aid, including Everardo Navarro, who feared the attacker would grab the officer’s gun and start shooting.
Shocking video captured the moment three Good Samaritans jumped out of their vehicles to help a California Highway Patrol officer who was being attacked at the edge of a busy freeway onramp
Everardo Navarro, one of the three men who rushed to repel the attacker, told KTLA, “I would do that for anyone, any time.”
“Ever since I saw the officer on the ground, I was concerned that the man might grab the officer’s gun and shoot him,” Navarro said.
“That was my biggest concern and may have done the same thing to me.” So at that moment, I had no choice.
“We are all human.” “I would do that for anyone, anytime.”
Footage of the brawl shows the CHP officer walking towards his motorcycle as, without warning, the deranged pedestrian tries to throw him to the ground.
The officer and the man fight before the pedestrian throws the officer to the ground and begins punching him.
CHP officer Anselmo Templado told KTLA that the situation could have gotten out of control if three men hadn’t rushed to the CHP officer’s aid to rip off his bat.
“Many of these situations suddenly become dangerous,” Templado said.
The attacker is seen throwing the officer to the ground on Friday at the 5 Freeway in Santa Ana before the three heroes came to the officer’s aid
Anselmo Templado thanked the Good Samaritans for saving his comrade
Templado said it was unusual for people to run to assist law enforcement and thanked the men for doing so.
“You don’t see that very often.” Usually it’s just people taking pictures and standing by, but I just want to thank these three good Samaritans for helping our officer,” he said.
“It could have ended very badly but fortunately no one was seriously injured and we have the issue under control.”
The suspect, now identified as 33-year-old Santa Ana resident Jaime Paniagua, has been taken into custody.
He faces multiple charges, including assault and assault against a peace officer, and resisting arrest. The CHP officer was taken to the hospital and discharged with no serious injuries.