Good Samaritan Helps Stop Attack On Indiana Police Officer

Bedford, IN – A Good Samaritan jumped in to help a Bedford police officer after he was attacked by a violent suspect on a dead-end road last week.

The officer initially responded to the 1200-block of 3rd Street on Nov. 11 for a report of a suspicious male, WBIW reported.

When he arrived, he spotted a suspect walking out of the tree line near the end of the dead-end street, according to police.

Investigators said the suspect, later identified as 37-year-old Jason Phillips, was intoxicated and possibly under the influence of methamphetamine at the time, WBIW reported.

The officer tried to search Phillips during the encounter, but the suspect forcefully resisted multiple times, according to police.

He allegedly grabbed something out of his pocket and hurled it onto the top of the officer’s patrol car at one point, WBIW reported.

The suspect managed to push away from the officer and tried to run off, but the officer deployed his Taser, striking him in the back, police said.

Phillips fell to the ground, but continued to resist the officer’s attempts to place him in handcuffs, WBIW reported.

He eventually managed to knock the officer’s Taser out of his hand and climbed on top of him before he allegedly placed his hands around the officer’s shoulders and forced his head into the ground, police said.

That’s when a bystander, Kaigen Vincent, jumped in to help the struggling officer, WBIW reported.

The officer and Vincent were able to subdue the violent suspect shortly before additional officers arrived at the scene.

The officer suffered scrapes to the back of his head as a result of the brawl, according to WBIW.

Phillips was transported to the hospital by ambulance in order to have the Taser barbs removed from his back.

He allegedly went on the fight with police again at both the hospital and at the jail facility.

Phillips was booked into the Lawrence County Jail on charges of disarming a law enforcement officer, battery against a public safety officer, public intoxication, resisting arrest by force, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia, WBIW reported.

Investigators said they recovered a broken glass pipe containing methamphetamine residue at the scene.