MEDLEY, FLA. (WSVN) - Two men turned into crime fighters after a crook took off with their 18-wheeler at a truck stop in Medley.
Medley Police officers took 24-year-old Exon Gonzalez Caceres into custody after, they said, he stole a tow truck at the Pilot Travel Center located at 12200 NW South River Drive, Thursday.
The arrest came at the end of a chaotic chain of events that began when the owner of the tow truck parked it at a gas pump and left it unlocked and filling up.
As the truck’s owner was inside the gas station, police said, a witness told him that his truck driver did not know how to drive. It was at that moment, when the victim realized his vehicle was being stolen.
Investigators said the truck’s owner, along with an employee and other witnesses, ran out to confront the suspect, but it was too late.
Police said Gonzalez Caceres crashed into a car that someone had positioned to block his path in order to prevent him from fleeing.
Detectives said the suspect fled west along Northwest South River Drive while the owner and his employee ran after the truck.
At one point, police said, Gonzalez Caceres tried to run the men over.
Cellphone video shared on social media by Only in Dade captured the moment the duo were able to catch up to the truck. One of the men was seen breaking the driver’s side window in order to open the door.
The man is seen yanking Gonzalez Caceres out of the truck, slamming him into the pavement and punching him repeatedly. The other man, meanwhile, is seen kicking the suspect.
Police said the truck’s owner and his employee zip-tied the suspect, held him down on the ground and restrained him until police responded.
Speaking with reporters on Thursday night, Medley Police Officer Deglys Chavarria cautioned people not to take matters into their hands like the men in this case.
“Our recommendation is that you contact police immediately and not put yourself in danger,” said Chavarria. “Fortunately, there was no fatal outcome to this, but no one knows how somebody is going to react to situations, and it could be potentially dangerous. We didn’t know if the person was armed, so we always recommend that you contact your local police department and let us handle it.”
First responders provided first aid to Gonzalez Caceres. He was arrested and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade.
Gonzalez Caceres faces a list of charges, including armed robbery and aggravated battery.
Police said they continue to investigate this case. The suspect could face additional charges.
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