Startling footage shows an Ohio man telling cops who tasered him that he loves them after authorities said he nearly mowed down one of them.
The driver, identified as Joseph Solinger, 36, rushed to the scene of a traffic accident outside the Columbus Zoo as officers directed traffic around 2 p.m. Friday, WSYX reported.
Body camera video shows an officer yelling at Solinger to stop.
“I’m trying to reach my wife and children,” he told the officer.
“OK, and you think trying to kill someone is the way to do it,” the cop yells at him and asks for his driver’s license.
But the driver takes off and several policemen run after his Jeep.
Moments later, they attempt to stop the vehicle again as Solinger tries to pull into the zoo’s parking lot.
Once again he speeds up and nearly hits a soldier.
The officer who initially confronted him then pursues him in his patrol car.
“He’s not compliant. I’m probably going to have to use the Taser,” he said over the radio.
He finally zaps the unbalanced man, who falls backwards to the ground while on foot.
As he is handcuffed, the man apologizes.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s just about my wife and kids,” he said. “And I love you guys and I know you don’t mean to hurt me.”
When a cop asks him why he didn’t listen to them, he replies, “Because it wasn’t about me, it was about my wife and kids.”
The officer says, “Well, guess what? Now it’s about you.
“It’s nirvana and I’m not going to hurt you,” Solinger said. “You’re going to help me – and I love you. It’s not about you now – there’s a time for that.
The Pataskala resident was hit with a host of charges including disobedience, inciting panic, emergency misconduct, driving under the influence, reckless operation, resisting arrest and official obstruction, WSYX reported, citing the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.
He was arraigned on Monday and given $25,000 bond.
A zoo visitor tweeted about the chilling incident.
“A beautiful Good Friday date with my daughters at the Columbus Zoo quickly turned into the scariest time of my life when suddenly waves of people started running due to reports of an active shooter “, Zachary Amos wrote.
“So grateful to be safe. I never thought I would be in this situation,” he added.
Gb9
