A Virginia Beach police officer narrowly avoided being kicked in the head by a suspect during a chase along the shoreline early on July 5. The suspect, identified as Timothy Allen Wegert, 33, is a former martial arts master instructor.
The incident occurred around 2:20 a.m. as at least four officers pursued Wegert along the beach. Wegert, who was being chased for allegedly assaulting someone on Atlantic Avenue, attempted a spinning back kick towards one of the approaching officers. The officer successfully dodged the maneuver, and subsequently tackled Wegert. Other officers then joined in to subdue and arrest him.
Wegert faces charges including felony assault on a law enforcement officer and misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct. According to police, he is a martial artist and former master instructor at UpLevel Martial Arts in Charlottesville, Virginia.
A witness who recorded the incident reported seeing Wegert dancing at a nearby restaurant hours before his arrest. The witness described Wegert as an outgoing but seemingly nice individual, stating that Wegert thanked him and gave him a high-five after being recorded. However, a friend of Wegert's told the Virginia Pilot that Wegert has a history of instability and was previously fired as CEO of UpLevel Martial Arts due to multiple assaults outside of work.