A man who is accused of assaulting several people, including a police officer and an elderly woman, in the parking lot of a grocery store in West Hartford Sunday afternoon after using PCP was arrested after good Samaritans came forward to assist law enforcement.
Police said officers responded to the Price Rite supermarket at 983 New Britain Ave. at 12:39 p.m. after getting several 911 calls about a man assaulting people in the parking lot.
As soon as the police officer got out of his patrol vehicle, the man attacked him and a good Samaritan came to help restrain the suspect until more officers arrived and were able to take the suspect into custody, police said.
Police have released video of the arrest.
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WARNING, you might find the video disturbing. The suspect was bleeding and that appears in the video.
Police identified the suspect as 39-year-old Samuel Rivas, of Hartford.
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Witnesses told police that the suspect had been punching vehicles and was possibly under the influence of something and police said Rivas later admitted to having used PCP earlier in the day.
Rivas was taken to an area hospital to be treated for injuries that police said he had sustained prior to the incident.
Police said the elderly woman who was injured fell and hit her head, suffered a cut and bruise on her face, but was not transported to the hospital.
No officers were injured.
"I commend our officer for quickly taking Mr. Rivas into custody before he assaulted additional members of the public. Moreover, I am extremely appreciative and thankful that a Good Samaritan from the community assisted our officer until backup officers arrived on scene," West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick said.
Rivas was arrested and charged with assault on an officer, assault on an elderly person in the second degree, interfering with an officer, reckless endangerment in the first degree, violation of conditions of release in the second degree, breach of peace in the second degree and possession of narcotics.
He is currently being held on a $250,000 bond.
West Hartford police said they would like to thank the good Samaritans who not only called for assistance but also "ultimately risked their own well-being to assist officers and innocent victims."
“If it were not for their quick actions this already difficult situation could have been escalated further,” police said.
