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Good Samaritan helps save children, subdue suspect

Body camera video shows dangerous encounter
Posted at 6:39 PM, May 03, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-03 18:40:02-04

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office said Joseph Pemberton was crazed and incoherent on a Zephyrhills Road Tuesday afternoon.

“He’s wearing only a pair of boxer shorts, he’s in the middle of the road,” Sgt. Matthew Rosenbloom is heard saying in body camera video.

Moments earlier, that body camera video shows Pemberton putting his pick up truck in reverse and smashing into the deputy’s patrol car. Pemberton then jumps out with the truck still moving and rants wildly.

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When Pemberton charged at Rosenbloom, the deputy used a Taser.

There to help, a lawn care worker who happened to be driving by.

“I think it’s the right thing to do,” said Jose Martinez.

Martinez worked in law enforcement in Puerto Rico and said his training kicked in.

“Even though it’s been since 2001, it still runs in the blood.”

What you don’t see in the video is what happened before this encounter.

Investigators said Pemberton hit a utility truck. And then four children riding with him, jumped out and ran away.

“They were out of control crying and nervous,” said Martinez.

Martinez, a father of 7 and grandfather of 4, had to help them.

“What a father would not do for his kids, is unbearable. When you see things like this happen you have to do something.”

Martinez said he got the children off the road and comforted them.

Investigators aren’t saying yet if Pemberton was on drugs, but he wasn’t making much sense.

“I ran out of the house, I had a revelation. I thought nuclear bombs were coming,” Pemberton is heard saying in the video.

Pemberton was checked out at a hospital, then taken to jail.

The children are in the custody of a family member.

We’ve also learned, Pemberton was hospitalized the night before this incident after the children reported erratic behavior.