Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called three good Samaritans "heroes" who helped a motorcycle deputy who was being beaten on the side of the road by a driver he pulled over in Winter Haven.
"We can never thank them enough for their selfless actions," Judd posted on Facebook.
George Cooper, Antonio Velazquez and Christopher Carver all stopped at the intersection of Winter Lake Rd. and Camellia Dr., Sunday at 9 a.m., to help Deputy Mike Walsh who was being attacked by Corey Johnson, 32, according to Sheriff Judd.
Cooper said he was driving down the road at 60 miles-per-hour when he saw Deputy Walsh being punched by Johnson.
"The guy just started beating him. Started hitting him, beating him, then he got on top of him," said Cooper. "I jumped out my truck and I just ran and said, 'get up off him.' And then I start chasing him."
At that time, Velazquez had pulled over to help the deputy too.
"I screamed at the guy to stop and he tried to run," he said. "So, I kicked him and I punch him and he's going to the ground and when I tried to grab him, I fought with him and he started running again."
Carver saw the struggle and also stopped to help. Cooper said that's when Johnson finally gave up.
"He tripped and he fell down and I said, 'stay on the ground,'" Cooper said. "I told him, 'don't you get up. You stay down there.' Then the officer straddled him and then put the taser in his back and just was tasing him."
Deputy Walsh suffered a broken thumb along with bumps and bruises during the struggle with Johnson. Sheriff Judd said Walsh pulled Johnson over for running a stop sign where he almost struck the deputy on his motorcycle.
Johnson had several active warrants for his arrest and was booked into the Polk County Jail on seven new charges, including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence.
"I'm not a hero," Cooper said. "I stopped and helped him because that's what every citizen should do."