When Corona police officers needed help catching a suspect, a Good Samaritan pulled up and gave them a ride.
"Can you give me a ride?" a Corona Police Department officer asked a passing driver.
The man quickly responded with a "yup" as he moved a fan to the back of his truck.
"I was getting ready to just give you the car," the Good Samaritan said.
Shortly after, another officer jumped into the truck to join the chase.
"You know, it's not protocol," said Sgt. Brandon Palaoro, a Corona PD spokesperson. "It's not something that we train for. It's not in the handbook, if you will. But we always encourage officers to use their judgment."
The Good Samaritan was driving down California Avenue back on Oct. 26 when he saw the officers running after the suspect. When the officers realized they might not catch up to the wanted man, they ran to the passerby's truck.
"If you get an opportunity to help an officer, you do it," said the Good Samaritan, who wanted to remain anonymous. "I'd do it again. It was the right thing to do."
Corona PD said this chain of events started in a nearby shopping center when the suspect was caught taking a video of a girl changing in a dressing room.
"We received a call from several people regarding an adult male who was seen placing his phone underneath a fitting room door where a teenage girl was changing," Palaoro said.
With help from the truck driver, officers caught up to the suspect and handcuffed him.
Corona residents said they were thankful for the Good Samaritan stepping in to help the officers.
"Never seen it happen," resident Carmen Hernandez said. "But I'm glad it happened. And I'm glad that guy was helpful and that he intervened."
Corona PD also thanked the man for lending a hand.
"It really just highlights the collaborative teamwork that we have here in this city," Palaoro said.
