"I probably shouldn't have hit him," Bodycam shows moments after altercation between former Oklahoma firefighter, neighbor
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – KFOR has now obtained the body camera footage from a brutal assault that we first told you about back in July.
"I'm a fireman, so," Max Rinehart, a now-retired Newcastle firefighter, told Oklahoma City police back in July. "I probably shouldn't have hit him. He needed it."
Rinehart is talking about Chad Williamson, who News 4 first introduced you to after the fourth of July holiday. He contacted KFOR after he was assaulted by Rinehart on his south Oklahoma City street.
"I'm told while I was unconscious, he was on top of me," Williamson told News 4 after it happened.
His face was covered in blood, bruises and a deep gash.
KFOR requested the bodycam footage from the scene over four months ago and now, we’ve finally obtained it.
"That's blood in there,” Rinehart told officers.
"That's blood?” an officer replied.
“I hit him," Rinehart said.
Williamson and his girlfriend told News 4 it all started with Rinehart and a group of their neighbors riding ATVs up and down their south Oklahoma City street late at night while drinking.
"After 10 o'clock, it's still going, still going. So, my boyfriend walks out here and is like, 'hey, it's driving the dogs insane.' Well, the guy who was on it said 'F****** call the cops,'” Williamson’s girlfriend is heard saying on the bodycam footage.
One of the officers then goes over to the group of neighbors and speaks with Rinehart.
"I've been a fireman 23 years, about to retire, been injured. So I can't be fighting but he grabbed a little girl, or she grabbed, somebody grabbed a little girl's hair,” Rinehart said.
“I mean did you actually see it? Or you just heard that?” the officer replied.
“No, I, well, everybody started getting bunched up and I seen hair getting pulled," Rinehart said.
Williamson and his girlfriend told News 4 neither of them ever grabbed anyone and Williamson’s girlfriend claims it was her hair that was pulled.
KFOR called Rinehart back in August.
"There's more to the story,” he said.
We called him again last week, now that assault and battery charges have been filed against him. He told us he has no comment.
"I am glad there are charges filed. So, I hope those stick and he'll definitely be hearing from an attorney on the civil side of things," Williamson told News 4 last week.
Rinehart’s charge is a misdemeanor. He is due in court in Cleveland County on November 30.