A traffic stop in Wisconsin has ignited controversy after a video surfaced showing a police officer forcibly removing a woman from her vehicle on the shoulder of a busy freeway. The woman, whose video was originally posted to TikTok (by @RJ936425) and later reshared on Reddit, was pulled over for driving in the wrong lane. The situation quickly escalated when she refused to exit the vehicle, citing safety concerns. The officer responded by physically tugging her from the car as high-speed traffic rushed past just feet away.
โSir, do you see yourself right now?โ the woman calmly asks in the now-viral clip, as the officer struggles to drag her out. Her resistance was not aggressiveโshe stated clearly that she didnโt feel safe stepping out of the car on the side of the highway and had already acknowledged her traffic mistake. The officer, undeterred, calls for backup and continues the extraction.
Critics say the officerโs actions were dangerously reckless.
โWhole video I was just waiting for him to slip and fall backward. That was one of the most unsafe moves Iโve seen near traffic in a while,โ wrote Reddit user meases, summarizing what many viewers feared: that the encounter could have ended in tragedy for both the officer and the driver.
The video, initially posted by the woman herself, has since been deleted, but a follow-up clip on her TikTok account has become a hub for concerned commenters asking for updates. โCan you make an update video? Did you sue? What happened after he called for backup? I hope youโre okay,โ asked one user, echoing the concerns of thousands.
Some defenders of the officer argue that she failed to comply with a lawful order. But others point out that the situation demanded discretion, not force. โOrdering someone to get out of their car on the highway where cars are speeding past at 70 mph is reckless,โ one TikTok commenter wrote. โShe wasnโt trying to escape justice, she was trying to survive.โ
The legality of the officerโs actions remains a topic of heated debate. While police are generally allowed to ask drivers to exit their vehicles during a stop, safety protocols dictate those orders must be exercised with care, especially on the shoulder of a freeway. Miranda rights were never read, and no clear indication of arrest was made in the footage.
โWhatโs the point of pulling her from the car forcefully?โ one Redditor asked. โOther than her complaining of arm and shoulder pain later? It just doesnโt make sense to me.โ
While some speculated the woman was part of the so-called โsovereign citizenโ movement, thereโs no clear evidence supporting that. In fact, her demeanor remained largely calm and focused on personal safety.
Still, many worry this kind of escalation is becoming routine. โI have 0 faith in law enforcement any longer,โ wrote one frustrated commenter. โThe fictional cops on SVU and video games where theyโre the good guys are just thatโfictional.โ
As the video continues to circulate, calls are growing for an internal investigation and for clarity on what drivers should expect when pulled over in high-risk environments.
No official statement has been made by the local police department as of this writing.
