Police Officer Speaks Out After Arrest Of Steelers' Rookie
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A rookie lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers faces serious charges after leading police on a chase through the South Side last weekend.
Now, one of the police officers who says he was nearly run over in the incident is speaking out.
Police say Alameda Ta'amu was already in trouble for speeding and driving recklessly down East Carson Street early Sunday. But things got worse when they tried to get him to stop.
"Didn't stop, actually accelerated towards us, and we had to flee away from the vehicle fearing we were going to be struck," the undercover officer said.
KDKA's Bob Allen spoke with the officer who was one of the three nearly rundown.
The Steelers' rookie defensive lineman then turned up 14th Street.
Police say he crashed into seven parked cars, causing thousands of dollars in damage. Two women were sitting in a Saturn Ion when it was hit, they suffered minor injuries.
"Officers could have been hurt; most importantly, civilians could have been hurt, run over," the officer added. "The whole ordeal was very chaotic."
Ta'amu didn't get far; authorities say he wrecked his SUV and was apprehended about a block away on foot.
"Using the vehicle as a deadly weapon, as he was; using the vehicle as a weapon against other people and other vehicles, using it against us, and then to resist physically when being taken into custody," the officer said; "he pretty much did everything he could not to go to jail that night."
Eventually, the six-foot-three, 348-pound lineman calmed down and appeared to come to his senses. That's when police learned that he was a member of the Steelers.
"We informed him he could have very well killed one of us or some innocent person. At that point, he informed us he was a Steeler," the officer said. "Once he was informed that he could have taken many lives that night he said he was sorry and felt bad for what he had done."
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