Video: Waitress Body-Slams Customer Who Allegedly Groped Her
Surveillance footage from Vinnie Van Go-Go’s showing the incident with Ryan Cherwinski and Emelia Holden [VITALY PETRUKHIN / YouTube (screenshot)]
SAVANNAH, GA — The 21-year-old waitress who body-slammed a customer who allegedly grabbed her backside in surveillance footage that went viral has spoken out about the incident.
Emelia Holden, 21, was working at Vinnie Van Go-Go’s in Savannah, Georgia, on June 30, when 31-year-old Ryan Cherwinski allegedly groped her.
Holden can be seen on video footage from the restaurant turning around, grabbing a man, and slamming him into a counter. “I looked at him, and I said, ‘You don’t touch me, motherf—!’” Holden told People magazine.
“I didn’t even think, I just reacted. I don’t know how I reacted the way I did. I’ve never done that before,” she said.
Holden said that her first reaction was one of shock that a stranger would touch her so intimately.
After she allegedly struck Cherwinski, who was reportedly dining with the mother of his children, Holden told a coworker to call the police.
Cherwinski was arrested and charged with sexual battery, according to a Savannah Police Department spokeswoman.
Holden alleges Cherwinski told police he “barely touched” her, but claims once police saw the video they decided to arrest him.
She added that customers gave her high-fives and said that she is happy police made an arrest.
Footage of the incident was posted on Monday, and has since racked up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.
“Im not glad that it happened, but I’m glad that it’s had such a positive outcome,” she told People magazine.
Holden stated:
“I’m glad that other women can see this and know that you can stand up for yourself. You also have the right to wear whatever you want without having to worry about being groped. It’s nice to know that I have empowered other women.”
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