Deputy Choked By Suspect On Highway, Good Samaritans Intervene

SALT LAKE CITY, UT- Dashcam video shows the moment when a sheriff's deputy was attacked by a suspect, and onlookers rushed in to help the police official.

"The deputy got out, asked this individual for identification, the guy wouldn't give it to him," said Lt. Lane Findlay of the Weber County Sheriff's Office.

Dash cam video was rolling just before9:00 a.m. Wednesday when a sheriff's deputy stopped a skateboarder who'd been traveling in traffic lanes on busy Washington Boulevard.

"Out of nowhere, he jumps back on the skateboard and tries to take off. The deputy grabbed hold of him to try and stop him, and the fight was on," Lt. Findlay said.

Firefighter Jake McMichael who was off-duty at the time, happened to be driving by.

"I saw a sheriff's officer which was down on the ground on his back, and then another middle aged white male that was on top of him choking him. So I hurried up and veered off the road in front of him, jumped out and went and tackled the guy. I was able to get him off of the Sheriff's officer and he was able to get free," McMichael explained.

The struggle continued.

"Tried to subdue him you know. We had another individual who came and helped us, a doctor I think. He had a white trench coat on. And we were able to handcuff him at that point," McMichael added.

23- year old Everett Gerdes of Washington Terrace was arrested

"Once they got him in custody, and were putting him in the patrol vehicle he was bragging how he thought he got the best of the deputy," Findlay explained.