Police in San Jose, California, said the unknown woman bit their officer

This video shows the dramatic moment an off-duty police officer slammed a screaming woman into the side of a car.

The pair were captured struggling in a parking lot after the woman reportedly rear-ended the officer's car in San Jose, California.

The officer was dressed in shorts and sunglasses and is said to have shown no badge, but police later confirmed they employed him - adding the woman in the video bit him.

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Clash: A video has emerged showing the moment an off-duty police officer slammed a screaming woman into the side of a car. Police in San Jose, California, said it happened in September after her car hit the officer's

Grappling: The video shows the officer wrestling with the woman by the side of what appears to be his car

Although San Jose police say the incident happened in September, the video shot by a passer-by emerged on LiveLeak just a few days ago.

It shows the confrontation already well under way, with what appears to be the officer's white Honda parked at a jaunty angle in the parking lot as he grapples with her and shouts: 'Call police!'

The woman's sister tries to call him off, to which the man filming the video replies: 'He's a cop'.

The pair struggle for a moment longer before the off-duty officer, who has not been named, slams the woman forcefully into the side of the car before hauling her up and holding her over the bonnet.

The woman's sister comes to her aid despite the officer shouting: 'Back off! Back off!'.

Impact: The officer slams the woman into the side of the car, where she lands with an audible thump

Struggle: He then hauls her up onto the bonnet before both turn around to see that they are being filmed

Only when she holds the officer back is her sister able to escape, after which the pair both jump into their vehicle and drive off with tires screeching.

The video prompted a furious response on LiveLeak by users who accused the officer of over-reacting and made comparisons to the use of force in Ferguson and New York.

One commenter wrote: 'Why would you try to arrest someone while out of uniform if no ones life is in danger? He could have just followed them, got their license plate, got a description of the driver and maybe taken a pictures with his phone.

'Just another example of an a****** cop hyped up off of adrenaline, coffee and steroids, trying to show his bravado!'

But the San Jose Police Department hit back when contacted by CBS San Francisco.

Intervention: The woman's sister gets involved to try and restrain the officer so she can get away

Fleeing: The pair later escaped with a screech of tires. San Jose police said there were outstanding warrants for both women, one of which bit the officer during the confrontation sparked by a car shunt

Sergeant Heather Randol told the news station the woman in the video had rear-ended the off-duty policeman, so he followed her and tried to detain her until uniformed officers arrived.

She claimed the woman bit the officer before fleeing the scene, and an assessment of the officer's use of force was carried out at the scene.

'Both women have outstanding misdemeanor warrants for their arrests,' said Randol, adding they were accused of a hit and run and using force against an officer.