Good Samaritan helps stop carjacking in Fort Myers

A woman nearly carjacked was helped by a Good Samaritan who ended up a victim himself.

According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, a 911 caller said Trey Young, 25,  went to work Monday morning and started arguing with and hitting employees.

Young left his work and attempted to carjack a woman in a white Mercedes near Modern Services, LCSO said.

Calls for help were heard by her coworker Johnny Daniels, both of whom worked at the air conditioning company.

“She looked up and noticed that I was there,” said Daniels, “and then yelled for me, yelled for help.”

Daniels pulled Young out of the vehicle, but he moved onto the next one — Daniels’ own company van.

“I wasn’t worried about the vehicle,” Daniels said. “I knew that once she was OK, we would be able to track the vehicle.”

LCSO deputies caught up with the suspect using a GPS tracker which helped end the high-speed chase on Palm Beach Boulevard.  LCSO stopped Young using a PIT maneuver, where police were able to force the fleeing suspect to stop driving, and made an arrest.

MORE: LCSO arrest carjacker after chase in Fort Myers

Daniels’ boss, general manager of Modern Services Mark Oetzel, who served in the Florida Guard for 21 years, said he is thrilled with the way his employee handled the situation.

“We’re really proud that Johnny did the right thing and that he stood up to the plate,” said Oetzel. “We really appreciate that it didn’t become worse than it did.”

Daniels said he didn’t think twice about his actions on behalf of the victim.

“This isn’t the first time I had actually been close to danger,” Daniels said.

Young was taken to the Lee County Jail. He faces charges of battery, burglary of an occupied dwelling unarmed, property damage and criminal mischief, carjacking, felony battery, grand theft, fleeing police at high speed among others.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly wrote that Trey Young was an employee of Modern Services.