Sandy MaloneMonroe, OH – The Butler County Sheriff’s Office honored a good Samaritan who chased down and tackled a purse snatcher in the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store earlier this month (video below).
The incident occurred on Dec. 5 when Deshawn Pressley was shopping at the Kroger located on Oxford State Road in Lemon Township with his little girl, WKRC reported.
Pressley had chatted with 87-year-old Patricia Goins about his one-year-old daughter when he encountered her a few minutes earlier.
It was when the two split to follow separate checkout lines that the thief made his move, FOX News reported.
Pressley said he suddenly heard Goins scream for help from an aisle over.
“I heard her screaming and yelling… it was the yell that I need help,” the good Samaritan explained. “And I just turned around and did what I needed to do as a citizen.”
Police said 58-year-old Derek Vaughn had snatched Goins pocketbook and made a dash toward the store’s exit, FOX News reported.
Security video from the Kroger parking lot showed Vaughn walking out of the store clutching Goins pocketbook under his arm.
Then the video showed Pressley running out of the store on Vaughn’s heels.
He told reporters that the thief looked surprised to see Pressley in pursuit, FOX News reported.
“He was running and looking back, running and looking back, and I was like ‘yeah, I’m on your a-,’” Pressley recalled.
Vaughn picked up his pace but he was no match for the younger, faster man, the video showed.
The video showed Pressley tackled the thief to the pavement and fought with him to keep him down while he waited for police to arrive.
More than once, Vaughn struggled to his feet and Pressley took him back down, the video showed.
Vaughn fought hard to escape and the two struggled hand-to-hand for a couple of minutes as a crowd gathered around them, the video showed.
Pressley held the suspect down until deputies arrived to arrest him, FOX News reported.
Vaughn was charged with felony robbery and theft, WKRC reported.
Court records showed he remained in jail in lieu of a $55,000 bond.
The Butler County Sheriff’s Office honored Pressley at a ceremony on Dec. 16 and awarded him a Citizen’s Award, WLWT reported.
“I just turned around and did what I had to do as a citizen and I’m glad I helped her because she’s a wonderful, lovely lady and I just love helping people, especially older women,” Pressley said.
He said he was raised by his grandmother who took him in after his mother died when he was small, and that she raised him right, WKRC reported.
“She did very good by me,” Pressley said. “It was good that she taught me what she taught me, and I’m thankful for her.”
Pressley and Goins have made plans to keep in touch, FOX News reported.
“We’ve got a dinner date,” the octogenarian bragged at the awards ceremony for the man who had come to her aid.
“I’m glad that he received this honor because he’s my hero,” Goins told reporters.
Watch the incident unfold in the video below. WARNING – Graphic Content:
Holly Matkin
