WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — Willoughby Police Chief Jim Schultz is offering his personal thanks to several Good Samaritans who stopped to help one of his officers during an incident Saturday afternoon.
According to officials, Officer Stacee Wright pulled a driver over for speeding on Lost Nation Road just before 4:25 p.m. when the man stopped and got out of the car without being asked. Wright asked him to sit down, but the male refused, eventually pointing his finger near her face and pushing her.
After the suspect further declined multiple orders to put his hands either behind his back or on the vehicle, a "physical struggle" ensued between him and the Wright.
Willoughby Det. Sgt. Michael Sevel tells 3News that Wright did a good job in that situation, along with the help of bystanders who leapt into action.
As Wright and the suspect were struggling, four people who were not previously in the area stopped to help, and they assisted her in subduing the man and arresting him.
"His behavior was aggressive towards her, he refused several commands of hers, all of these are red flags," Sgt. Sevel explained. :So we’re thankful it ended the way it did, because it could have ended worse.”
Schultz made it a point to salute the community in a statement put out on Facebook.
"I am so proud of our community and the tremendous support we receive on a day to day basis," Schultz wrote earlier this week. "Saturday was another awesome example. I greatly appreciate it!! Thank you!"
“It just makes us extremely proud to work for Willoughby, where there’s good people willing to put their safety on the line," Sgt. Sevel added. "They had no idea what they were stepping into, they could have been risking their lives to help that officer”
The suspect has been identified as 64-year-old David Koubeck, of Mentor. He is scheduled to appear in court this Thursday on charges of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest, along with speeding and not wearing a seat belt.
The Willoughby Police Department has not released the names of the Good Samaritans who stopped to aid the officer, but confirm they have identified three out of the four. Officer Wright was taken to University Hospitals Lake West Medical Center and treated for minor injuries before being released.
You can see the WPD's video of the incident below: