Copyright © 2004 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - Law enforcement officers often risk life and limb in carrying out their duty to serve and protect the public. Cherokee Nation Marshal Joseph Rainwater recently found out just how harmful his job can be on any given day.

"Rainwater was assaulted while assisting the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department with a domestic in progress at an apartment complex," said Don Bowin, lieutenant with the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.

The "domestic in progress" was a fist fight between two brothers that Rainwater single-handedly broke up, only to have the two brothers join forces and turn their fists towards him. The officers from the Cherokee County Sheriff's department had to leave the scene upon arrival to chase a car involved in a hit-and-run accident leaving Rainwater to fend for himself. The three men fought, struggled and eventually fell to the ground where the brothers attempted to remove Rainwater's gun which was in its holster. Bystander Michael Hood, who is a volunteer fireman, risked his own life by pulling one of the brothers off of the officer's back and helping to control him while other Cherokee Nation Marshals arrived.

Hood told the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service that he assisted Rainwater because he believed that the officer's life would have been at stake if one of two brothers would have gotten a hold of his gun.

"The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service is very grateful to Michael Hood for risking his life to assist one of our officers." Bowin said. "Hood is a true hero and should be recognized by the citizens of Cherokee County as such. He is what every child dreams of being when they grow up, a hero."

Related Cherokee Nation contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org