Angela Pierce was driving through Dayton, Ohio when she spotted police officer Jonathan Seiter in trouble -- and she risked her life to rush in and help him.
Angela Pierce was driving through Dayton, Ohio when she spotted a police officer in trouble: He was being beaten badly by a man that he’d stopped for a routine traffic violation. The officer, Jonathan Seiter, wasn’t able to access his gun, and he was beginning to fear for his life—the suspect was out of control and trying to kill him.
Pierce was driving with her elderly aunt, and had no weapon. But she could tell that the officer needed help to get the suspect under control, so she stopped her car and jumped right into the scuffle.
“I didn’t even think about what (the suspect) could have had, I didn’t think about what he could have done to me,” Pierce told CNN. “I just went and tried to help.”
The fearless woman ran over to the fighting men, and attempted to subdue the attacker, swinging at him with her fists. Even though she had never met Officer Seiter before, she was eager to assist him: ““That could have been my father or grandfather,” she said.
With Pierce’s help, the officer was able to restrain his attacker. Once police backup arrived, he was placed in custody, and Pierce continued on to the party she and her aunt had been driving to.
Officer Seiter is safe, and though it’s not advisable for ordinary people to jump into the middle of a dangerous altercation between a police officer and a suspect, the Dayton Police Department is grateful for Pierce’s help.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not endorsing that citizens participate in this manner,” said Sgt. Larry Tolpin. “But under this particular circumstance, it was very commendable of her.”
Check out the video of Pierce in action.