Sapulpa Man Held Down By Firefighters For Interfering With Their Job

News On 6 is learning new details about a video showing Sapulpa Firefighters holding down a man near the scene of a fire. Sapulpa Police say that man assaulted firefighters and threatened dispatchers.

There are still burn marks from the field fire near S. 49th West Avenue and the Creek Turnpike. Police are now investigating it because they say the man who caused it assaulted firefighters.

Cell phone video shows firefighters in Sapulpa dealing with a little more than just a fire. They held down a man who police say assaulted and threatened first responders.

"He increased his problems. He compounded his issues," said Lieutenant Troy Foreman.

It started a couple of weeks ago when police say a man called 911 to report a fire in a field. But things quickly took a confusing turn when the man wouldn’t tell them what's going on.

At one point, the man starts insulting the dispatcher.

On three different calls, dispatchers try to find out what's the problem and where to go. Eventually, firefighters find the fire and the man, who first responders say was also confrontational in person.

"When they arrived on scene he was just as combative with them in the interfering so much so that they couldn't even do their job in getting the fire put out," said Foreman.

Police said after the man assaulted some of the firefighters, other crew members jumped in and held the man down until police showed up. Investigators said the man was drunk and burning trash when sparks set the field on fire.

News On 6 is not identifying the man, because he hasn't been charged.

Police are recommending the DA charge the man with three counts of interfering with a firefighter's duties.