The waitress who slammed a customer to the floor after he groped her backside has said she 'didn't even know I could do that'.

Emelia Holden, 21, took hold of Ryan Cherwinski's arm and hurled him to the ground when he grabbed her rear at Vinnie Van Go-Go's in Savannah, Georgia.

Father-of two Cherwinksi, 31, has been in a relationship for 11 years and was with his partner Erica Martin at the restaurant when he groped their server and was arrested.

Holden said she had first thought it was a friend who was grabbing her as a joke.

Emelia Holden (pictured), 21, took hold of Ryan Cherwinski's arm and hurled him to the ground when he grabbed her rear at Vinnie Van Go-Go's in Savannah, Georgia

'When I felt that happen, my first thought was that it was one of my friends… it was a really intimate touch,' Holden told People.

'His hand went further than it should have so I was thinking, there’s no way a stranger just did that.

'I just did it. I didn’t even know I could do that. I don’t care who you are. You have no right to disrespect me.'

She also revealed that when the police arrived, Cherwinski insisted he had just been trying to move her out of the way so he could pass.

'The guy claimed that he was just trying to push me out of the way and, "Oh, I barely touched you,"' said Holden.

'Once the police saw the video, they immediately arrested him. There was no doubt that he did it.'

One of the girl's co-workers then called the Savannah Police Department who sent an officer to the restaurant.

Emelia Holden (left) threw Ryan Cherwinksi (right) to the ground at the Georgia restaurant

The footage shows Cherwinski walking past the waitress and touching her on the backside

A furious Holden reacts by grabbing his arm and hurling him to the floor of the restaurant

Vinnie Van GoGo's pizzeria in Savannah, Georgia, where the confrontation took place

After reviewing the surveillance footage taken inside the restaurant, police arrested Cherwinski and handed him over to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office on June 30. He is now facing criminal charges.

Savannah Police Department have confirmed the video of the incident circulating online is the same one officers reviewed before arresting Cherwinski.

Holden has directed her new found fame into raising money for cat shelters, attracting $7,250 of her $5,000 goal less than 24 hours after launching a GoFundMe page.

She wrote: 'Recently a video of me went viral and I’ve been getting a lot of attention for it. I’d like to take this opportunity to give back to something that means a great deal to me, CATS!'

Holden also appeared on Inside Edition to tell her story on Thursday.