EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) - The man charged with the brutal beating of an El Cajon Police officer inside a KFC appeared at a preliminary hearing in court Wednesday.
Officer Jose Sioson was preparing to question Daniel Cook about stealing sodas from a Dollar Tree store when Cook attacked him at the restaurant on Fletcher Parkway, police said.
MTS bus driver Iesha Booker witnessed the attack and grabbed the officer’s own radio to call for help when he was knocked unconscious.
“I just grabbed his walkie talkie. I didn't know how to work it, I just grabbed it and just kept screaming in there they have an officer down, they have an officer down,” Booker said.
Officer Sioson was taken to the hospital and released after several surgeries. He testified Wednesday about almost losing his eyesight in the attack, and how he is still recovering.
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"I never meant to be a hero," Booker said. "I was just doing what I thought that anyone would do for us or for me."
Cook, who has previous convictions for assault and resisting arrest, is being held on half a million dollars bail. His defense attorney plans to enter a new plea of not guilty by reason of insanity at an arraignment scheduled in June.
El Cajon Police stepped in to thank Booker, who is the homeless mother of seven children. A GoFundMe in her name has raised about $34,000 of its $50,000 goal.
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