Local News - Passers-by help Mullica police officer subdue suspect

By ROB SPAHR, Staff Writer | Posted: Thursday, December 31, 2009 | 0 comments

MULLICA TOWNSHIP - A Mullica Township police officer received a helping hand - several, in fact - from good Samaritans during a recent drug arrest....Continue Reading

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Detective Brian Zeck was on patrol during the Dec. 19 snowstorm when he noticed a car parked on the side of the road. Zeck said he pulled behind the car, expecting it to be a disabled vehicle.

"I guess the occupants didn't realize I was behind them," Zeck said. "Because while I was sitting there, I witnessed a drug transaction."

Zeck said that as he approached the vehicle, one of the occupants, Alberto Rodriquez, of Mullica Township, struck him with a car door and tried to flee.

"As he was running through the snow, I kind of horse-collared him and we spent the next three minutes or so basically fist-fighting on the ground," the 5-foot-9, 185-pound Zeck said of his attempt to get Rodriguez - reportedly 6-foot-3, 220-pounds - into custody.

Two women in a passing car saw the men fighting and called 911, Zeck said.

Zeck said he was able to get one of Rodriguez's hands cuffed, but Rodriguez resisted getting his second hand cuffed by keeping it beneath him.

At that time, three passers-by, including Township Committeeman Bernard Graebener, stopped and physically helped Zeck get Rodriguez into custody. "It's a great thing that people care enough to help out a police officer when they see that they are in need of assistance," said Zeck, adding the identities of the other two men were un-known.

Zeck said that he was not injured in the incident but that Rodriquez suffered face lacerations. The second occupant of the car - Sean Harris, of Pleasantville - also fled, Zeck said, but police eventually were able to locate him by tracking the footprints he left in the snow.

Rodriquez was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance. Harris' charges were not immediately available.

Contact Robert Spahr: 609-272-7283 RSpahr@pressofac.com

Posted in Breaking, Atlantic on Thursday, December 31, 2009 8:30 am Updated: 8:32 am.

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