Current:Home > NewsVideo shows Army veteran stopping suspect from jacking pregnant woman's car at a Florida Starbucks -TradeWisdom
Video shows Army veteran stopping suspect from jacking pregnant woman's car at a Florida Starbucks
Robert Brown View
Date:2025-04-10 20:13:34
One accused carjacker chose the wrong Starbucks drive-thru to target.
Dashcam footage released late last month shows the end of a police chase in Ocala, Florida, in which suspect Michael Prouty, 39, was being pursued after he allegedly broke into a local resident's house and stole their purse, cell phone and Cadilliac car, according to police.
Following a short chase in which the Prouty allegedly damaged several other cars in the stolen vehicle, he crashed at an intersection and took off on foot, approaching cars sitting in a nearby Starbucks drive-thru.
This is where Army veteran Shane Spicer first laid eyes on the suspect.
Spicer told local affiliate FOX 35 Orlando that he was barely awake and waiting in line for his coffee fix when he saw the crash and subsequent foot chase unfold. It was then that Spicer said he saw Prouty forcing his way into another car lined up in the drive-thru.
"(He was) sprinting up to Starbucks, and he didn’t look like a Starbucks coffee drinker," Spicer told Fox 35. "Then he yanked the girl out of the car. And just kind of an instinctive, kind of reactionary thing."
March for Isreal livestream:'March for Israel' rally livestream: Supporters gather in Washington DC
Footage shows moment would-be carjacker is foiled
The released dashcam footage shows Prouty trying to enter a woman's vehicle from the driver's side in what police said was an attempted carjacking. Multiple outlets have since reported that the woman driving the car was also pregnant at the time.
Spicer can then be seen exiting his own vehicle and sprinting over to intervene, getting into the passenger side of the would-be victim's car to fight Prouty off. Bodycam footage from one of the arresting officers then shows Spicer chasing Prouty down and holding him until police are able to catch up and make the arrest.
In a press release, Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken also acknowledged another good Samaritan, Tom Episcopo, who he said slowed Prouty down earlier in the chase.
"We are proud of these two citizens for their heroic action, for helping our officers make the arrest, and for keeping our community safe," Chief Balken shared.
According to the release, Prouty has a lengthy criminal history and is facing multiple charges. Ocala police charged Prouty with fleeing and eluding, attempted carjacking, crash involving injuries, and resisting arrest, while authorities in Sumter County, where he stole the original vehicle, are charging him with home invasion, battery on a person over 65, and grand theft of a vehicle.
"I feel like if you’ve got the ability to watch out for someone, that you should," Spicer told Fox 35. "I would just hope that someone would do the same for my family."
Man crashes into deputies in wild video:Video shows man crashing car into Florida sheriff's deputies, injuring 2
veryGood! (7)
Related
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- Biden administration says 100,000 new migrants are expected to enroll in ‘Obamacare’ next year
- Proof Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky's Cutest Family Moments Are Always in Fashion
- Charles Barkley says he can become a 'free agent' if TNT loses NBA TV rights
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Charles Barkley says he can become a 'free agent' if TNT loses NBA TV rights
- Kate Beckinsale Makes First Public Appearance Since Health Emergency
- Are Boston Bruins going to blow it again? William Nylander, Maple Leafs force Game 7
- Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
- Jill Biden is hosting a White House ‘state dinner’ to honor America’s 2024 teachers of the year
Ranking
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Stock market today: Asian shares advance ahead of US jobs report
- Texas weather forecast: Severe weather brings heavy rain, power outages to Houston area
- Want to turn off the Meta AI chat on Facebook, Instagram? Take these easy steps to mute it
- NFL Week 15 picks straight up and against spread: Bills, Lions put No. 1 seed hopes on line
- New York made Donald Trump and could convict him. But for now, he’s using it to campaign
- Ground beef tested negative for bird flu, USDA says
- Drew Barrymore left a list of her past lovers at this 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' actor's home
Recommendation
Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
AP Week in Pictures: North America
Ryan Gosling 'blacked out' doing a 12-story drop during filming for 'The Fall Guy' movie
Heavy rain leads to flooding and closed roads in southeast Texas
Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
At Trump trial, Stormy Daniels' ex-lawyer Keith Davidson details interactions with Michael Cohen
Pitch Perfect 4 Is Being Developed and Rebel Wilson's Update Is Music to Our Ears
Dramatic video shows Indonesia's Mount Ruang volcano erupting as lightning fills clouds of hot gas and debris