"Don't Tase Me, My Son"
Pastor zapped by police after getting involved in a traffic stop
By MARK MORALES
Updated 3:15 PM CST, Thu, Jul 2, 2009
Pastor Jose Elias Moran went to shocking heights to protect a member of his flock.
Moran was tased and arrested after intervening when one of his parishioners was pulled over by police in the church parking lot.
Congregants say they were in the Iglesia Profetica Peniel Church in Webster, Texas, on Wednesday morning for early prayer when Moran saw one of his congregants get pulled over by police. Moran went outside to find out what was going on and things turned ugly.
The police report on the Webster Police Department's website says Officer Raymond Berryman tried to arrest Moran when he got too involved, but the pastor pushed him away and ran into the church. When Moran came back out, he brought 40 congregants with him.
Churchgoers say Moran fled to the church when Berryman became hostile and started yelling. Moran's son, Migel Moran, says 30 congregants saw the officer turn aggressive and kick the church door.
Police Chief Ray Smiley said it was Moran who became hostile, and said the cop only used force out of self-defense, according to The Bay Area Citizen.
“Moran exited the church with approximately 40 other individuals and surrounded the officer,” said Smiley. “In fear of his own safety, the officer used his (pepper) spray in an attempt to disperse the angry crowd.”
When back up officers came by to arrest Moran, Smiley says the pesky pastor pushed a second officer, and that's when Moran was Tasered.
"They treated him as a drug dealer or murderer, but he is a pastor that tries to help the community," Miguel Moran said. "The police always want to be right but they are not."
"My husband has a heart condition and with electrocution who knows what could've happened," added the reverend's wife, Maria Moran.
In custody in a local hospital, Moran told The Associated Press that he plans to hire a lawyer.
Moran was charged with interfering with the duties of a public servant, a Class B misdemeanor.
The driver who had been pulled over got a pair of tickets.
First Published: Jul 2, 2009 1:55 PM CST
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