Officer Ryan Long was one of several officers called in about a missing girl in Lilburn, Georgia on March 25, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported
A police officer said he was nearly choked to death by a local minister when he responded to a missing persons call last month.
Officer Ryan Long was one of several officers called in about a missing girl in Lilburn, Georgia on March 25, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.
The teenage girl had apparently been impregnated by the minister’s daughter, and was hiding out with the family at Inglesia Cristina Evangelica Church.
When officers arrived at the church out, they ended up in an all-out brawl with minister Wilmer Cruz, his wife Cristina and their son Wilmer Jr – which was caught on policy body camera and witness cellphones.
The teenage girl had apparently been impregnated by the minister’s daughter, and was hiding out with the family at Inglesia Cristina Evangelica Church. Wilmer and Cristina Cruz are pictured at Tuesday’s preliminary hearing
When officers arrived at the church out, they ended up in an all-out brawl with minister Wilmer Cruz, his wife Cristina and their son Wilmer Jr – which was caught on policy body camera and witness cellphones. Wilmer Jr, 17, is pictured at Tuesday’s preliminary hearing
‘I was slammed against the glass door, hitting my head very hard against the glass,’ Sergeant Long said in a preliminary hearing for the family Tuesday.
‘Mr (Wilmur) Cruz was choking me to the point I couldn’t breathe.’
Long said he put his Taser in the 38-year-old’s back before having the stun gun yanked from his hand by Cristina.
The woman then threateningly pointed the taser at Long.
‘I grabbed Mrs Cruz by the arm and told her she was under arrest for grabbing my Taser,’ he said.
‘She refused and would only say: “Jesus love me.”‘
‘I was slammed against the glass door, hitting my head very hard against the glass,’ Sergeant Long said in a preliminary hearing for the family Tuesday. ‘Mr (Wilmur) Cruz was choking me to the point I couldn’t breathe’
Long said he put his Taser in the 38-year-old’s back before having the stun gun yanked from his hand by Cristina. The woman then threateningly pointed the taser at Long
Once Cristina had been successfully apprehended, Wilmer and his 17-year-old son Wilmer Jr attacked Cruz, pinning him up against a glass door
They then started hitting and kicking him and at one point he claims Wilmer was choking him so hard he thought he couldn’t breathe and thought he might die
Once Cristina had been successfully apprehended, Wilmer and his 17-year-old son Wilmer Jr attacked Cruz, pinning him up against a glass door.
They then started hitting and kicking him and at one point he claims Wilmer was choking him so hard he thought he couldn’t breathe and thought he might die.
Another of Cruz’s sons, who has not been identified, can also be seen in the footage taking an officer’s radio.
Long said he believes the family fought back because they thought ‘officers were not allowed ot fight back against them.’
He also testified that family members threatened to kill his mother.
The fight erupted after the missing girl, who has since been returned to her other, was found with the family.
The girl is believed to be pregnant with Wilmer Jr’s son.
All three face charges of obstruction and interference with custody and were denied bond at Tuesday’s preliminary hearing, according to jail records
Ana Cardenas Robles called officers to the church, saying she believed that’s where her daughter was being kept by the Cruz family.
On March 19, a week before the fight broke out, Robles filed an order against Cristina Cruz, alleging the woman stalked her and threatened her with deportation.
She also says Cristina refused Robles to have any contact with her pregnant teenage daughter.
But the Cruz family’s attorney contested that claim in court, saying Robles congratulated her daughter and Wilmer Jr for the pregnancy.
The attorney also claims Robles allowed her daughter to stay with their family.
All three face charges of obstruction and interference with custody and were denied bond at Tuesday’s preliminary hearing, according to jail records.