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Good Samaritan reflects on stabbing incident
Evan Axelbank reports
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. - The man who tried to help an incapacitated motorist on Tuesday morning said he would do it again, even though the situation turned violent when a former US attorney allegedly stabbed the driver.
"I don't know of any reason to do that," said good Samaritan, Ahmed Gahaf. "No reason to do that. He hits your car, just go. Be safe."
It all started around 9:20 a.m. on Tuesday when Gahaf saw a car stopped on the Howard Frankland Bridge.
Ahmed Gahaf tried to help an incapacitated driver.
He stopped in front of it and got out to help.
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"I see him asleep in the car," recalled Gahaf. "I think he has a health problem, but I didn't know what he had."
After banging on the window, Ahmed went back to his car to get something to break it. FHP said the passed out driver suddenly woke up and drove forward, into Ahmed's car.
As he tried to maneuver again, he crashed into a third car, driven by Patrick Scruggs, a former assistant US attorney.
Patrick Scruggs is a former assistant US attorney.
FHP said Scruggs got out and used a pocket knife to break the formerly passed out driver's window.
Then FHP said Scruggs repeatedly stabbed him and Ahmed tried to intervene again.
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"He came to me very close with the knife. [It was] one foot is the knife from my chest. I ran."
A passing St. Pete deputy was able to place Scruggs under arrest.
The incident happened on the Howard Frankland Bridge.
The stabbing victim was left with serious injuries but is expected to survive.
Ahmed said he would not hesitate to again try to save someone in need of help, even though he had no idea how violent this was about to get.
"When you see something, stop. Today, it's somebody else. Tomorrow it [could] be your son. Your daughter," he said. "The police is not going to be everywhere for us."
FHP said they still encourage people to call 911 in cases like this and not stop along the highway.
Scruggs was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and has not responded to our requests for an explanation.