Good Samaritan says he tried to stop a former federal prosecutor from allegedly stabbing a driver after a crash on a Florida highway

CNN

Authorities say a former federal prosecutor who was involved in the early prosecution against a January 6, 2016 defendant has been arrested for the stabbing of an injured driver on a Florida road after a collision last week. A new video shows the confrontation between the Good Samaritan and the former prosecutor.

Ahmed Gahaf, a Tampa resident, said that the incident occurred after he stopped on I-275 Southbound to assist a driver who was incapacitated and appeared to be having a medical event on September 26, 2009.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, when the driver woke, he drove forward and hit Gahaf’s car. While attempting to drive round Gahaf’s car, the driver collided with another car.

According to the highway patrol, Patrick Scruggs (39), a former federal prosecutor was in the second vehicle that was struck. Gahaf, a CNN reporter, said Scruggs got out of the car and walked up to his vehicle.

Scruggs shattered the window of the driver's door and then attacked the driver with a folding blade, leaving "multiple stabs" and "cuts in the arm," according to the arrest report from the Florida Highway Patrol.

A witness recorded a video that was released by the highway patrol. It shows Gahaf talking to a 911 operator while trying to stop Scruggs. Gahaf says that Scruggs appears to have swung his knife at Gahaf in the video, almost hitting him in the chest.

Gahaf said on CNN Sunday, "I think he is coming to help. But he comes like he has already made plans." I tried to get him to stop, but he was only a foot away, and with the knife, he got close. He said, "you too?" You want to kill my? I was with 911 when he stabbed the driver.

According to an arrest warrant, Scruggs now faces felony charges for armed burglary and aggravated assault with a deadly weapons.

John Nohlgren is Scruggs’ attorney. He sent an email to CNN highlighting his client’s career as a federal prosecution. He encourages the public 'to keep an open mind,' as his client does not have a criminal record.

This was a chaotic scene involving multiple accidents caused by just one person on the busiest bridge in our area. This person was not Scruggs. Nohlgren wrote: "There is more to this story than what has been reported, and we are working diligently to reveal the truth."

Gahaf was shocked to learn that the man with a knife he had confronted in the street was a former federal prosecution.

"I can't believe it. You know, this is what drives me insane." He knew the law', he replied.

Scruggs, according to jail records, was released ten hours after being first booked in the Pinellas County Jail for a $65,000 bail.

According to Scruggs' LinkedIn profile, he spent 10 years as a senior litigation attorney at the Middle District of Florida US Attorney's Office in Tampa. He joined a private Atlanta law firm this summer.

He was involved in an early prosecution of Adam Johnson, also known as the "lectern guy," for stealing Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s lectern on January 6, 2006.