By Police1 Staff
READING, Pa. — A sheriff’s deputy was at the right place at the right time when a suspect attempted to rob a taxi driver at gunpoint.
WFMZ reports Deputy Terry Ely was stopped at a red light in his patrol car March 7 when he noticed the cab in front of him failed to move forward after the light turned green. Once the light cycled to red again, Ely stepped out of his vehicle to investigate.
“I stood in the back to try and hear the conversation ahead of time so knew what I was getting myself into,” Ely told the publication. “At that point, I heard the driver say, ‘Just please don’t shoot me.’”
The suspect, 18-year-old Victor Martinez-Herrera, had pulled out what appeared to be a pistol and demanded the cab driver’s money.
The driver, Ralph Valletta, handed $11 over to the suspect when Ely sprang into action. The deputy placed Martinez-Herrera under arrest and called for backup. It was later discovered the suspect’s gun was a replica.
Martinez-Herrera was charged with robbery, terroristic threats and simple assault. No one was hurt in the incident.