A dramatic arrest in Virginia Beach has gone viral after video appeared to show a former martial arts instructor attempting a spinning kick at a police officer before being tackled on the sand.
The incident happened during the Fourth of July weekend near the Oceanfront area. According to Officer.com, police were flagged down at around 2:20 a.m. on July 5 after someone reported an assault in the 1300 block of Atlantic Avenue. Officers later arrested 33-year-old Timothy Allen Wegert of Monroe, Virginia.
The viral clip shows an officer running toward Wegert on the beach. Wegert, wearing black-and-white striped pants, appeared to square up and attempt a spinning heel kick. The kick missed, and the officer quickly tackled him to the ground as other officers moved in to help.
Wegert was charged with felony assault on a law enforcement officer. He also faces misdemeanor charges of simple assault, disorderly conduct, and two counts of obstruction of justice, according to reports citing Virginia Beach police.
The video quickly spread online because of the unusual moment. Instead of a typical foot chase, viewers saw what looked like a martial arts move attempted during an arrest. The officer’s quick reaction helped end the confrontation before the kick connected.
Wegert has been described as a former CEO and master instructor at UpLevel Martial Arts in Charlottesville. Officer.com, citing The Virginian-Pilot, reported that he is a three-time world martial arts champion and fourth-degree black belt who trained with the school since childhood.
A family friend connected to UpLevel Martial Arts told The Virginian-Pilot that Wegert had been dismissed from his CEO role in 2021 over conduct outside the business. The same report said Wegert had recently been teaching dance.
Police have not publicly explained everything that led up to the confrontation, and the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities said the arrest followed an initial assault report near Atlantic Avenue.
The incident became one of the more unusual viral police videos of the holiday weekend. While many viewers reacted to the attempted kick with jokes, the case also involves serious criminal charges.
As with all criminal cases, the charges against Wegert are allegations unless proven in court.
