DALLAS — With the help of two good Samaritans, Dallas police were able to take two teens into custody following a robbery and crash at a gas station Monday afternoon, officials say.
Turns out – both suspects may be connected to at least 10 robberies across Dallas, police say.
Dallas police officers responded to a report of an aggravated robbery at an apartment parking lot around 1 p.m. in the 13000 block of Montfort Drive.
Officers said the adult victim told them he was robbed at gunpoint by two males and said the suspects fled in a silver Toyota sedan.
A short time later, police said a silver Toyota Camry was spotted traveling east on Park Lane at Ridgecrest Road. As officers tried to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle, the driver refused to stop and fled from the scene.
During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle crashed into a another vehicle at a gas station located at Abrams Road and Royal Lane. Then, the two suspects tried to flee the scene on foot.
A surveillance camera caught the moment two good Samaritans, who witnessed the crash, stop one suspect. Then, patrol officers were able to take that suspect into custody, police said.
"I saw him jump and try to run away and I thought if he has a gun or knife he may hurt someone here," Christopher Binegar, who is also an off-duty security guard, told WFAA. Binegar helped tackle the suspect.
Both the good Samaritans told WFAA they didn't hesitate to jump in and help.
"If you hesitate, that's going to be a life. Something could have happened to you or someone else," Geoffrey Prado said.
"[The suspect] was like, "stop, stop." And I'm like 'I'm not stopping, you are the one who did all this,'" Binegar said.
Air One responded to search for the second suspect, who was located at a nearby apartment complex. He was taken into custody by Dallas police officers.
DPD identified the two suspects as 17-year-old Giovanni Martinez-Castro and 17-year-old Abraham Leone.
Police Sgt. Matthew Terry and Chief Eddie Garcia thanked the good Samaritans and say because of their quick actions, they were able to give officers time to focus on capturing the second suspect.
"Very heroic, even telling several of the officers at the scene we wouldn't have ben able to do all this if it hadn't been for them, too," Terry said.
Martinez-Castro has been charged with aggravated robbery of an individual, evading arrest in a vehicle and failure to leave ID at the scene of an accident.
Leone has been charged with aggravated robbery of an individual and evading arrest on foot.
Following the suspects’ arrest, police executed a search warrant on the vehicle. They seized two handguns, two black ski masks and money.
After further investigation, DPD determined both suspects are responsible for at least 10 aggravated robberies. In June and July, police said suspects in a silver Toyota sedan demanded property at gunpoint from people across the North Dallas area.
"I'm running out of words to describe the amazing work that is going on in this department," Chief Garcia told WFAA. "I say this all the time. I'm just happy to have a front row seat to this work."