Sheriff Troy E. Nehls honored two citizens this week for coming to the aid of a fallen officer.
On the night of Monday, Sept. 5, 2016, Deputy Eric Posey made a traffic stop at the intersection of FM 1093 and Grand Corner near the Westpark Tollway in the Richmond area for speeding.
Deputy Posey approached the vehicle and noticed the smell of marijuana from inside and instructed the driver, who did not have a driver’s license, to exit the vehicle. When the deputy attempted to handcuff the suspect, a scuffle ensued and both Deputy Posey and the suspect fell to the ground.
Posey seriously injured his knee, tearing several tendons in his right leg. He also was dazed after hitting his head on the roadway.
Little did Posey know that two citizens had been watching the episode from their nearby apartment complex. When they saw the deputy and suspect fall to the ground, they both decided without thought to run to the intersection and assist Deputy Posey.
Daniel Thurman and his brother-in-law, Michael Martin, ran about 200 yards and scaled a fence to come to Posey’s aid. Once they arrived, they immediately confronted the suspect not knowing if he had a weapon or not.
Thurman and Martin were determined to keep Deputy Posey from suffering additional harm.
A short time later, additional Sheriff’s Office units arrived to secure the scene.
Both Thurman and Martin said adrenalin kicked in when they saw what was happening.
“During this time, our country has seen a dramatic rise in violent attacks on law enforcement personnel,” said Lt. Michael Fisher, who was on duty that night. “Watching the daily news gives the impression that the general public has a dislike for law enforcement. It is refreshing when we are reminded that this is not the case at all. The overwhelming majority of the public supports law enforcement, and in this situation, two outstanding members of the community were willing to step into harm’s way to assist a fallen deputy.”
Sheriff Troy E. Nehls said the two citizens quickly assessed the situation and instead of remaining in the safe zone, they took action instead.
“Without regard to their own personal safety, these two men took it upon themselves to act….in a split second, they decided to intervene and protect our deputy,” Sheriff Nehls said. “I am proud to present this honor to each of them.”
The suspect, Calvin Williams, was arrested for resisting arrest, possession of marijuana and driving with no driver’s license. He bonded out of jail on Tuesday.
