GREENWOOD, Ind. -- A good Samaritan was battered and bruised after he said he was dragged by a car while trying to help a woman who was caught in a domestic dispute.
Adam Hellinga said he was leaving his house Wednesday morning when he saw two cars pull over on Olive Branch Road. He thought maybe they were just having car trouble until he heard the shouting begin.
“There’s a guy at the drivers’ door of the front vehicle, beating on it. Screaming, yelling, trying to pry the window down. Trying to get to the girl inside,” said Hellinga.
Investigators said it was a domestic dispute between Robert Smith, 23, and his wife.
Hellinga said he remembers tackling Smith to get him to leave the woman alone, but during that scuffle, Smith made it back to his car and put it in drive.
Hellinga said he reached for the keys, but his arm got stuck in between the window and the door frame, and Smith dragged him dozens of yards, shredding his clothes and parts of his skin.
“About the neighbor’s mailbox, uh, yea, kind of realized this was a bad idea,” said Hellinga.
Hellinga’s wife said although she wants her husband to stay safe, she knows that if given the chance, he would do the same thing again.
“He’s always going to do the right thing. Especially in a situation like that,” said Hellinga.
A second man driving by heard the fight and also stopped to help and was injured when the car took off.
Police later found Smith in Indianapolis. He’s now facing multiple charges, including battery with a deadly weapon.
The Johnson County Sheriff has some advice on what you should do if you see a situation like this:
- Don’t try to be a hero: Don't get in the middle, especially if the situation is violent
- Call 9-1-1 as soon as you witness something that seems off or violent
- Be a good fact finder: Record or photograph what you see
- Stay on the phone with dispatch and remain calm
