HS wrestling coach in Wisconsin hogties burglar with garden hose
“For some reason, my adrenaline kicked into action right there, and I knocked him out of the window, and I took a vase and smashed him on the head.”
Kenosha, Wisconsin High School art teacher and wrestling coach Jerril Grover was at home on Friday when he overheard a would-be burglar. Grover has coached at Bradford High since 1994, and wrestled before that at University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
When confronted, the burglar offered an uncompelling excuse for his presence.
I was wondering if you want your grass cut,” said the thief, who had already stolen cash from Grover’s car.
Ben Hutchison has the story for WISN.
Grover was in the basement when he said he heard a noise outside his window. When he came upstairs, he found someone hanging halfway inside.
The first thing he said was, ‘I want to cut your grass.’ I said, ‘Uh huh, something about to happen right here,’ related Grover.
For some reason, my adrenaline kicked into action right there, and I knocked him out of the window, and I took a vase and smashed him on the head.”
Grover calmly described his hand-to-hand battle with 22-year old Philip Tabili Jr.
Took (a garden hose) and put it around him like this here first, and once I wrapped this it kind of cut off his circulation, said Grover.
Once I had him down he said, ‘I can’t breathe.’ I said, ‘Well, if you can talk, you can breathe.’
I’m the head wrestling coach at Bradford High School and the Kenosha girls wrestling coach.
He hogtied Tabili and laid on top of him until police arrived.
It all worked out in the end, and I hope the young man is getting some help, said Glover.
According to the criminal complaint, Tabili told police, “He uses heroin every few days and was looking for work.”
Tabili is charged with burglary, theft and disorderly conduct.
Kenosha police said there have been a string of burglaries in the area over the past few weeks but have not officially linked Tabili to those.