Officer says man had super human strength during arrest
Video obtained by KCCI on Thursday shows a tense arrest just two doors down from the police station in Colfax last month.
An officer had just placed an intoxicated man in the back of his squad car when the man's friend started yelling at the officer. The incident was captured on the dash camera in the officer's car.
"You don't yell down the street like that, you understand me?" said Officer Paul Kuhlman, on the video.
"Yes sir," said Matthew Holett.
"His demeanor suddenly changed to becoming very polite," Kuhlman told KCCI's Shaina Humphries on Thursday -- but that didn't last long.
"Have you been drinking?" asked Kuhlman on the video.
"No sir, I'll breathalyze for you right now," said Holett.
"OK, step on over to my car," said Kuhlman.
Instead of moving toward the car, Kulhman said the man started walking away toward his apartment door.
The video shows the 24-year-old Holett pull out a handgun.
"I was unprepared for it," Kuhlman told KCCI's Shaina Humphries on Thursday.
You can see the officer and man struggle on the video until another officer arrives.
Holett escaped into his apartment, where the struggle continued for three more minutes. Police said Holett was able to hide the gun.
Officers were able to get him back outside and use a Taser on him, but Holett kept fighting, Kuhlman said.
Officers then used pepper spray on him.
"He had what I would think to be similar to super human strength. I mean, it wasn't normal," said Kuhlman.
Police believe Holett was under the influence of multiple drugs at the time.
It wasn't until Kuhlman got back to the police station and watched the video that he realized how dangerous it was. When the struggle was happening, he didn't know the Holett had the gun.
"My vantage point is, I'm behind him. I've got a hold of his arms. I'm trying to control him and I can't see what he's doing up front," said Kuhlman. "Anyone has a gun in their hand that becomes a deadly force issue."
Kuhlman said the case ended in the best possible scenario.
"The best possible outcome is that we're able to take a person into custody without using any force and 99.9 percent of the time, that's what happens," said Kuhlman.
Police said the gun Holett had was reported stolen in Knoxville. Holett faces multiple charges including two felonies.
You can view the entire video on YouTube.