Oklahoma Man Attacks Paramedic, Police Officer

OKLAHOMA CITY --

A man angry that officers had closed down Britton Road near Midwest Boulevard because of a crash got out of his truck and punched a paramedic and a police officer.

Sky 5 was over the scene when it happened, and Eyewitness News reporter Jordan Williams and photographer Rob Hedrick saw the event unfold from the ground.

"He started yelling and cursing," said Emergency Medical Services Authority supervisor Jason Duncan, who was the victim of the attack. "He threw his shirt off. It was kind of a strange deal. We tried to talk to him to find out what was going on. We tried to calm him down."

But Duncan said it didn't work.

"As soon as we started stepping toward the side of the road, he took a swing and hit me," Duncan said. "I can definitely feel it."

Police identified the man as Richard Hawkins.

Duncan said he and his colleagues have been taught to defend themselves when they're under attack.

Even after paramedics and police got Hawkins on the ground, he wouldn't give up.

"He was still yelling that we're killing him," Duncan said.

Eventually, Hawkins calmed down enough that police got him into a patrol car and took him to jail. Police said he was arrested on suspicion of possessing PCP, and on two assault charges.

"I've had my fair share of people try to attack me," Duncan said. "This a first for a random person to come up. I did the best I could."

Hawkins had a child in the truck with him. Police said they plan to return the boy to other relatives.

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