He Got Away From the Cops, But Not From the Guy in Sandals

Queensland police hoping to thank Good Samaritan who brought down alleged car thief
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 5, 2020 10:35 AM CST

An Australian dog walker used his arm as a clothesline as he brought down an alleged car thief who'd smashed into two police vehicles, narrowly missing an officer, on Thursday. A chase began around 8:30am as officers tried to apprehend the driver of a stolen Toyota Hilux utility vehicle in Mermaid Waters, Queensland, reports the Brisbane Times. A helicopter hovering over the scene recorded what happened next. Rather than go quietly, the driver rammed into two police vehicles, drove over spikes, sped across a field, then hit the road, driving the wrong way through a roundabout.

The driver soon abandoned the truck—and a 16-year-old passenger, according to police—before sprinting down a pedestrian footbridge. That's where our Good Samaritan encountered him. Footage shows the man using a straight arm to stop the suspect before holding him down, losing a sandal in the process. The man grabs his sandal and gives an officer a high-five before departing. Police, who've charged a 40-year-old man with dangerous operation of a vehicle, driving without a license, and possession of dangerous drugs, among other offenses, are now hoping to track down the Good Samaritan in order to thank him. (More Good Samaritan stories.)

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