Hollywood Park police credit 3 ‘good Samaritans’ in arrest of wanted suspect

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — The Hollywood Park Police Department is thanking three people who assisted a female officer in a foot chase on Monday morning.

Police Chief Shad Prichard tells KTSA it all happened during a traffic stop on the corner of Voigt and 1604E Access Road at the Circle K parking lot. As the officer began pulling information on the driver from her patrol vehicle, things began to change.

“As she was doing that, she started noticing some behaviors with the driver,” said Chief Prichard. “He was watching her in the mirror and getting kind of antsy in the cabin of his truck.”

The officer discovered the driver had outstanding warrants, and before she could get out of her vehicle to notify the driver that he would be placed under arrest, Chief Prichard says he got out of the car and ran off, which forced the officer to start chasing him.

“He takes of running and crosses an extremely busy intersection. Cars are coming and going and honking and she is running behind him telling him to stop,” said Chief Prichard.

As the chase continued near Cornerstone Church, several citizens got out of their cars and joined the chase, one of them being a retired police officer.

“You could tell when you watch the body-cam footage that he was definitely in law enforcement just by the way he was handling the suspect,” said Chief Prichard.

The suspect was taken down by the group of citizens until the female officer caught up and made the arrest.

Chief Prichard says the suspect had a warrant for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, which often means a stolen car, and a warrant for failure to appear.

While the assistance is appreciated by the Hollywood Park Police Department, Chief Prichard acknowledges the danger that goes with citizens getting involved in a police chase involving a suspect and he advises against the action.