Good Samaritans robbed during good deeds

3 criminals shoot man after pretending they needed help changing tire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville police are looking for three people who they say shot a man in the face after pretending they needed help changing a tire on a car.

It happened after the criminals stole a car in Murray Hill and crashed in Arlington.

Sandy Tackett said her husband was just being a good Samaritan when he stopped to assist the motorists who looked like they needed help.

"He said, 'My days of helping people out are over,'" said Tackett. "He said, 'I faced death. Scariest moment of my life.'"

Tackett's husband, Ralph, is currently in a hospital with a tracheotomy tube, unable to talk.

RELATED: 3 sought after Good Samaritan shot in face

Recently, another good Samaritan was robbed at knifepoint outside a Walgreens on Beach Boulevard by motorists who also pretended their car was immobile.

"We certainly encourage people to be helpful, but you've got to be cautious," said Shannon Hartley, with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

Hartley said if you pull over to help someone, it never hurts to call police.

"(It's) not a bother at all. In fact in Jacksonville, we stop for broken-down motorists as a requirement whether they have a broken down car or just to use the phone," said Harley. "We encourage people to be helpful, but don't be afraid to get police involved."

RELATED: 2 sought after robbing man who helped fix car

The violent criminals, however, are still on the loose. Josh Hastings had his car stolen by the thieves.

"(I) checked with wife to make sure she didn't know where car might be. Once we realized we didn't know where the car was we realized it had been taken," said Hastings.

Hastings said once he heard about the incident that happened early Saturday involving Tackett's husband, it didn't take long for him to realize his car had been involved in something bad.

"I checked news websites and figured out it was more important than just my car getting taken," said Hastings.

Police are now searching for the three suspects, and these two families are left waiting for answers.

"They're still out there," said Tackett. "They know where we live, have keys to our house -- the locks have been changed but they still know where we live."


About the Authors:

Scott is a multi-Emmy Award Winning Anchor and Reporter, who also hosts the “Going Ringside With The Local Station” Podcast. Scott has been a journalist for 25 years, covering stories including six presidential elections, multiple space shuttle launches and dozens of high-profile murder trials.