Ohio dad tased after nearly running over cop while speeding to pick family up at Columbus Zoo
Startling footage shows an Ohio man telling cops who tased him that he loves them after authorities say he nearly mowed one of them down.
The driver, identified as 36-year-old Joseph Solinger, sped by the scene of a traffic accident in front of the Columbus Zoo as police officers were directing traffic around 2 p.m. Friday, WSYX reported.
The bodycam video shows an officer yelling at Solinger to stop.
“I’m trying to get to my wife and kids,” he tells the officer.
“OK, and you think that trying to kill somebody is the way to do that,” the cop yells at him and asks for his driver’s license.
But the driver peels off and several police officers run after his Jeep.
Moments later, they try to stop the vehicle again as Solinger tries to enter the zoo parking lot.
Once again, he speeds off and nearly hits a trooper.
The officer who initially confronted him then chases him down in his patrol car.
“He’s not being compliant. Probably gonna have to Taser use,” he says on the radio.
He finally zaps the unhinged man, who falls backwards to the ground while on foot.
As he is cuffed, the man apologizes.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s just about my wife and kids,” he says. “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 says, “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 says. “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 has been hit with a slew of charges, including failure to comply, inducing panic, misconduct at an emergency, driving while under the influence, reckless operation, resisting arrest and obstructing official, WSYX reported, citing the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.
He was arraigned Monday and given a $25,000 bond.
One visitor to the zoo tweeted about the scary incident.
“A beautiful Good Friday day date with my daughters to the Columbus Zoo quickly turned into the scariest moment of my life when suddenly waves of people took off running due to reports of an Active Shooter,” Zachary Amos wrote.
“So grateful to be safe. Never thought I’d be in that situation,” he added.
