Bystander video captures Good Samaritan jumping in to help police officer <br />Eugene DeRose was driving by when he spotted a police officer in a fight with a much bigger man. <br /> <br />"I didn't even think, I just reacted," DeRose said. "Because I knew if I didn't do anything at that moment, it would have become a lot worse. I was running on pure adrenaline." <br /> <br />DeRose was driving home from work last Wednesday when he saw a man attacking an Edmonton police officer near the corner of 111th Avenue and 95A Street. <br /> <br />He stopped in the middle of the road and got out, ran over and grabbed the man and held him until the officer could make his arrest. <br /> <br />Const. Sasa Novakovic got the chance to thank the Good Samaritan on Wednesday during a special ceremony at police headquarters. <br /> <br />Novakovik said on the day of the arrest, he first approached the suspect and his female companion after watching them jaywalk across the busy intersection. <br /> <br />But what started out as a routine bylaw warning quickly escalated into something much more dangerous. <br /> <br />"From the onset, the male subject was not co-operative, continually yelling at and walking away from me," Novakovic said. "Once I attempted to arrest the subject, he became combative, charging at me with his fists. We fought standing, until we ended up on the ground." <br /> <br />The police officer said he was pinned to the ground while the woman fled the scene. <br /> <br />"Once on the pavement, the 280-pound subject ended up on top of me, with most of his weight on my chest," Novakovic recalled. " With one of my arms pinned, I tried to gain control. But not being able to breathe, my options were getting limited." <br /> <br />That's when Derose sprang into action. <br /> <br />"He jumped out his vehicle and placed the subject in a headlock. He did so without hesitation," said Novakovic, who is nominating DeRose for a Citizen Award. "It's very important to me that Eugene is recognized for what he did that day." <br /> <br />The pair shook hands during a recognition ceremony at police headquarters on Thursday morning. <br /> <br />"Every day, police risk their lives for strangers," said Novakovic. "It's the job we chose. But on Feb. 17, it was a stranger who risked his life for the police. And my family and myself are truly thankful."
