Things went terribly wrong when a Baton Rouge police officer attempted to arrest a man for drug possession early Sunday morning. During the arrest, alleged criminal Thomas Bennet attacked the officer with his own baton and even grabbed the officer’s gun, attempting to remove it from its holster.
Thankfully, 56-year-old female passerby Vickie Williams-Tillman saw the attack from her car and immediately called police for assistance. Then, risking her own life, Williams-Tillman jumped out of her car and onto the back of Bennet, say Baton Rouge police officials. With the woman’s help, the officer escaped a potentially life-threatening situation and subdued Bennet until back-up officers arrived on the scene.
Later that day, the Baton Rouge Police Department took to Facebook to thank Williams-Tillman for her selfless bravery.
(Williams-Tillman is pictured on the right.)
“For going above and beyond in that moment to help our officer and possibly save his life we are forever grateful to you Ms. Vickie!” says the Facebook post.
The post has received a flood of comments from those in the community hailing the woman as a hero.
“You are a true HERO Ms. Williams-Tillman!!” reads one comment.
“Thank you, Vickie Williams-Tillman for caring enough to sacrifice your own safety to aid an officer in need! YOU are a hero and a true role model for others!!” says another.
As Nola.com reports, Bennet was found sleeping in a parked car with possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia before the arrest. He’s now facing charges of “aggravated battery, disarming a police officer, resisting an officer with violence, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.”
Bennet, Williams-Tillman and the officer were taken to the hospital following the incident.
