A Virginia Beach police officer found himself in an intense situation when he had to evade a martial artist’s impressive karate moves while also trying to subdue him on the beach.
Timothy Allen Wigert, 33, allegedly assaulted someone and was being pursued by police around 2:20 a.m. on July 5 along Atlantic Avenue, leading to a scene reminiscent of an action movie.
With at least four officers in pursuit of Wegert, who is a martial artist and a former master instructor at Uplevel Martial Arts in Charlottesville, Virginia, things took an unexpected turn as he showcased his skills.
Footage shows a police officer nearing Wegert just as he attempted a spinning back kick aimed at the officer’s head, but the officer managed to dodge it. The video captures the moment quite dramatically.
Following the near miss, the officer tackled Wegert, with another officer quickly assisting and handcuffing him before he could strike again.
As a result, Wegert was arrested and now faces a felony charge for assaulting a law enforcement officer, as well as a misdemeanor for disorderly conduct.
Witnesses shared that just hours before the incident, Wegert had been seen behaving erratically and dancing at a restaurant, still dressed in the black-and-white striped pants he wore during his arrest.
One onlooker, Casey Vance, who recorded the bizarre encounter, described Wegert as outgoing but nice. He recounted having high-fived Wegert after filming, with Wegert thanking him in a friendly manner.
However, another acquaintance, Bill Peters, noted that Wegert has a troubled history. He mentioned that Wegert was fired from his position at Uplevel Martial Arts after facing accusations of multiple assaults outside of work. Peters reflected on the situation, saying, “I know his family well. They’re wonderful people. It’s unfortunate.”
