A North Carolina police officer thanked both God and his friend, a martial arts-trained pastor, that he was still alive after being put in a chokehold by a desperate suspect with a long rap sheet. . body camera footage indicates.
Last October, Scott WilkosThe former firefighter and current volunteer emergency chaplain for County Durham decided to celebrate his 52nd birthday the best way he knows how. That meant getting into a car with Durham Police Officer JT Rose, who he has known for more than eight years.
That fall day, Wilkos was riding shotgun while Rose was on his usual patrol. At one point, the pair spotted a vehicle apparently traveling more than 100 miles per hour. Rose followed the vehicle without engaging in a high-speed pursuit. He and Wilkos soon found the crash along the 15-501 exit ramp near Cornwallis Road in Durham.
At that point, Rose went to arrest the suspect, later identified as 35-year-old Demario Holman, who got out of the car. “Get on the ground! Get on the ground!” Rose yelled as body camera footage was released. “Do it now. Get on the ground. Go on the ground. Look down and go on the ground.”
Despite these repeated orders, Holman apparently chose not to cooperate. Instead, he allegedly physically attacked Rose and managed to overpower her.
“He had one arm around my neck and the other arm holding onto the gun.” Rose he later told another police officer.
Wilkos, who has been practicing jiu-jitsu for decades, took action immediately when he saw that Rose was “in real trouble.” He came up behind the suspect and wrestled him away from Rose – perhaps in time. Ms. Rose may have been on the verge of losing her consciousness.
“I appreciate his quick intervention,” Rose said of Wilkos, who seemed to be in the right place at the right time.
“I've got to stop letting you ride with me,” Rose joked affectionately.
Overall, Rose suffered an apparent knee injury, and Wilkos suffered a hand injury after being bitten by the suspect during a scuffle.
Holman also suffered a laceration to his elbow, which first responders believe was sustained during the crash. Holman was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt at the time.
When asked why he wanted to avoid arrest at the scene of an accident, Holman replied, “Look inside the car. You'll see.” Inside the vehicle, investigators reportedly found a loaded assault rifle, as well as two bags of marijuana and a bag of white powder.
Holman already has a history of drug-related crimes and is currently facing several additional charges. He is also charged with a number of other crimes, including assault on a law enforcement officer with serious injury and possession of a firearm by a felon.
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