Kentwood officers help get man home after his wheelchair runs out of power
KENT COUNTY, Mich. — An act of kindness caught the eyes of many after a local man's power wheelchair ran out of juice near a busy street.
Kentwood police officers went beyond their normal call to help this man out.
"I definitely do appreciate them," Dominic Russell said.
The 28-year-old explained he had just finished volunteering and was on his way home when the batteries in his wheelchair died near 44th and Brenton.
The two responding officers, Joseff and Mendez, asked when they saw Russell early Tuesday morning if he ran out of gas.
"This is not a call that they've been on before," Captain Tim Wierenga told FOX 17.
Russell explained he had hesitated to call KPD for help because this was the first time this happened to him.
"I spent like an hour before I decided that I would just end up calling 911," Russell said. "I know there's negativity within the police departments, but not all police officers are bad. There are some good police officers out there, like Officer Mendez and Officer Joseff."
KPD sent us the body cam video. You hear several scenarios the officers and Russell discussed regarding how to get him home.
They talked about driving Russell home, but one officer wondered what to do about the wheelchair.
"It's going to sound silly, but a tow truck to get the wheelchair home. So you can just imagine that kind of rolling down the road. And we all know that's going to cost money," Wierenga added.
In the end, the two officers decide to push him home.
"I definitely do appreciate them. I know it's hard work, not only pushing the chair but then pushing a chair with somebody in it," Russell said.
The hike was about a mile away, where the officers took breaks and switched on pushing Russell.
"I haven't worked out this hard in a while," one of the officers can be heard saying.
After 15 minutes, Russell was home safely.
"I told them, and like I've told other people, they could have just left me there. They could have been like, 'Well, you have to find your own way,' and so I'm just grateful that they helped me out," Russell said.
