Teacher Fends off Alleged Attacker at Park in Front of Students

A teacher's innocent trip to the park with his students turned into an ugly attack on Tuesday.

According to Dakota News Now, a group of students and their 28-year-old teacher were at Dan Dugan Park in Sioux Falls on an educational outing when a man unrelated to the group approached them. According to Sioux Falls Police, the man allegedly became agitated and threatened the teacher with violence.

The quick-thinking teacher got his students to line up behind him to keep himself between them and the suspect. Shortly after the suspect attacked the teacher by grabbing, punching, and even trying to strangle the teacher.

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It would be great if further details of what exactly transpired next, but the teacher took his attacker down and was holding him down on the ground when officers arrived. This teacher not only defended himself, but he also protected his students.

Police arrested 22-year-old Michael Pessima for aggravated assault, obstruction, resisting arrest, and theft for taking a small amount of cash the teacher dropped while they were fighting.

Dakota News Now

According to the Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office, Pessima is being held on a $10,000 bond.

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Source: Sioux Falls Teacher Fends off Alleged Attacker at Park in Front of Students