SANTA CLARITA : 3 Motorists Rescue CHP Officer From Alleged Attack
Three motorists Monday rescued a California Highway Patrol officer who allegedly was being beaten by a man she had stopped for speeding on the Antelope Valley Freeway.
Officer Amy Bonilla, 28, suffered cuts and bruises in the altercation, which ended when the motorists--including two off-duty Burbank police--wrestled away the man and held him down until more officers arrived to arrest him. “They certainly kept her from further harm,” said CHP Chief Edward Gomez.
Bonilla was treated and released from Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital.
Authorities said Bonilla had pulled over Ronald Arnett Coleman, 33, of Palmdale shortly after 8 a.m. Bonilla said she had clocked his Cadillac at about 80 m.p.h.
Coleman was argumentative during the traffic stop near the Golden Valley Road off-ramp, Gomez said. Coleman lunged at Bonilla when she attempted to administer a field sobriety test, he said.
Coleman tried to pull Bonilla’s baton away from her and then began punching her in the face, Gomez said.
Bonilla--who is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds--drew her gun, firing once into the pavement. Coleman tried to pull the gun from her grasp but failed, Gomez said.
Coleman was on top of Bonilla, punching her and grabbing for the gun, when the three motorists stopped and ran to her aid, authorities said.
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