An Alabama police officer named Eric Parker is now receiving fundraising support after being arrested for allegedly slamming and partially paralyzing a 57-year-old Indian grandfather named Sureshbhai Patel. Friends of Parker describe the police officer as “one of the good guys” and they are raising the money in hopes of help with any legal bills.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, the incident occurred after Patel was confronted regarding a call from a neighbor about suspicious behavior from a “skinny black man.” Police officer Eric Parker has been charged with third-degree assault, and Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey said that Officer Parker was not justified in stopping and throwing Mr. Patel on the ground.

“I found that Officer Eric Parker’s actions did not meet the high standards and expectations of the Madison City Police Department… For that, I sincerely apologize to Mr. Patel, his family and our community. Our desire is to exceed everyone’s expectations.”

Patel has since filed a lawsuit which claims he received spinal injuries from the incident that left him paralyzed. The lawsuit states he has regained partial use of all limbs except for his right leg after undergoing spinal surgery. The police dashcam video was released by the Alabama police department and shows how the incident transpired.

According to AL.com, supporters of Alabama police officer Eric Parker claim, “I’ve never seen him treat anyone with any disrespect. He may have made a mistake here, but we all do from time to time.”

An IndieGoGo donation page has been started with the goal of raising of $10,000, and as of this publishing, $3,040 has been raised

The page description says, “To help with Parker’s bills, etc. Any donation is greatly appreciated.”

Sureshbhai Patel does not have health insurance, but he came to America on a green card by virtue of his son’s citizenship. A GoFundMe donation page was only hoping to raise $100,000 in order to cover these medical costs but already over $160,000 has been raised in four days as of this publishing.

Hank Sherrod, the family lawyer, also gave a health update on Patel’s condition according to the GoFundMe page.

“His grip strength is improving, though he can’t yet handle small objects (like a spoon). His legs are improving, too, particularly his right leg. The doctors attribute the improvement to Mr. Patel’s hard work and motivation.”

Alabama police officer Eric Parker stands accused of third-degree assault, which is defined as “recklessly caus[ing] physical injury to another person”. This is a Class A misdemeanor in Alabama, and may result in up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $6,000.