By Police1 Staff
CHICO, Calif. — Chico police are defending the actions of an officer after a video taken at the site of a rollover crash was posted online.
According to KRCR, 64-year-old Joseph Rosales got in the accident June 10 after his dog jumped into his lap and he lost control of his vehicle, slamming into a building.
When Officer David Bailey arrived on the scene, he began to pull Rosales from the vehicle out of concern that parts of the building could collapse on top of them.
Rosales told Officer Bailey he needed his dog, which prompted Bailey to respond that he didn’t want to “get killed” because Rosales wanted his pet.
Rosales was combative with the officer, according to the report. Bailey is seen in the video grabbing Rosales’ arm and pulling him out of the vehicle.
Rosales claims the officer used excessive force against him during the incident.
The Chico Police Department argues Bailey was only trying to keep the two from getting injured. Medical crews had not arrived at the time the video was taken.
“The way that we evaluate this will be the actions of the officer versus the circumstances that were present. Did the officer see a need to get that person out of that car? I would say absolutely,” said Lieutenant Mike O’Brien.
Rosales plans to sue the department. Police are investigating the incident. The condition of the dog is unknown.