Video Shows Heroes Come to Rescue of Female Cop Attacked by Suspect During Traffic Stop
A routine traffic stop got very ugly.
Four men came to the aid of a female police officer while she was attacked by a suspect during a traffic stop in Willoughby, Ohio. Willoughby Police Chief James Schultz has spoken about what happened to his officer and is grateful that so many strangers risked their own safety to help someone who clearly needed it. "I can't say enough and there aren't enough words to show my appreciation for these people who went into a dangerous situation and put themselves at potential risk to help a police officer," Schultz says. Here's what happened.
According to Schultz, the driver—identified as David Koubeck—had been pulled over for speeding in the area of Lost Nation Road near Lake County Executive Airport at 4.24 pm. Koubeck was driving a 2009 black Chevrolet Malibu. When asked for his license and registration, he exited the vehicle and said he got out "to get my driver's license." Keep reading to learn more and see the video.
At this point, Koubeck became extremely agitated and aggressive. When the officer told him to walk over to the tree lawn and sit down, he refused. "I'm not sitting! I'm not sitting!" he screamed, before approaching the officer and shoving her. Koubeck repeatedly shoved the officer before punching her in the face and pinning her against his vehicle by putting his forearm across her neck. The officer sent a message to the dispatcher that she was in a physical altercation and needed backup, but luckily help arrived sooner than she expected.
A motorist saw what was happening and stopped his car to help the officer bring Koubeck to the ground. Three other motorists also pulled over to help, and they managed to get the suspect into handcuffs by the time police backup arrived. The officer then went to Lake West Medical Center for evaluation, where she was treated for minor injuries. "[The officer] is very good at her job and she is a fighter and I am sure she would have handled the situation, but if nobody stopped and helped, it may have escalated," Schultz says.
According to the police report, Koubeck claimed he was simply "having a bad day" and denied punching the police officer. He says he wasn't attempting to hurt the officer and was actually trying to comply with her requests—a statement which didn't stop him from being charged with assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. He also got the speeding ticket he was clearly trying to avoid in the first place, as well as a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt.
Schultz says the drivers who came to the police officer's aid are not looking for any kudos.
"They are very private people and basically said they stopped because it was the right thing to do," he says. "I am so proud of our community and the tremendous support we receive on a day-to-day basis. Saturday was another awesome example. I greatly appreciate it. We can't protect the community alone, just like the community can't police themselves. It has to be a partnership, and I can't say enough about the bravery these four men showed to help our officer in a time of need."
