Austin Police officers tried to pull over a speeding car in about 1:00 a.m. on Friday. The car pulled over, but then sped off as officers were getting out of their car.
They eventually pulled him over and got him out of his car further down the road.
There were three people in the Oldsmobile, Joshua Landa, 20, his father, Samuel Landa, 44, and his father’s girlfriend, Dorothy Ward, 33.
It sounds like the father was high on something — probably crack or meth from the sounds of the report:
When the driver, Samuel Landa, stepped out of the car, he put both hands under his shirt, which prompted Nordstrom to search him, Westbrook said. Landa resisted and fought with Nordstrom and Page, Westbrook said. Landa continued to fight with the officers, who Tasered him three times with no effect, Westbrook said.
“He pulled the Taser prongs out of his body and continued to struggle with the officers,” Westbrook said.
I’ve been tasered before (voluntarily) and it’s exceptionally painful and debilitating. Usually the only people who are not affected by it are out of their mind high on crack or meth.
While officers were struggling with the elder Landa, his girlfriend gave the son a box cutter and encouraged him to “defend” his dad. So he went after Officer James Nordstrom, slicing him across his face, just missing his eyes.
Officer Nordstrom needed 14 stitches to close the cut.
“These officers showed a tremendous amount of restraint dealing with these individuals,” Westbrook said.
If convicted of the charges, Joshua Landa and Ward could receive five to 99 years in prison and fines of as much as $10,000.
Samuel Landa — who received a lesser charge because he did not use a weapon — could receive two to 10 years in prison if convicted.
I’d say they offered a tremendous amount of restraint — however, if one of the officers had pulled their firearm and shot Joshua Landa to death for attacking an officer with a deadly weapon — I wouldn’t have had any problem with that.
I hope that the DA throws the book at them and that they are sentenced to the maximum sentences allowable by law. All of them.
What a bunch of losers.
When the top lights come on, the deal is done, just go with it. Trying to fight or run is just confirmation of how dumb and out of control some people are.
I can only imagine how much trouble these people were to those unfortunate to cross their paths.
Glad the officers weren’t hurt any worse than they were. They should be praised for not using deadly force, which was justified, on the youngest one. Daddy sure would have been proud of his son then.
Left by no2liberals on April 4th, 2008 at 10:34 pm