Police praised a pizza delivery driver Monday for tripping a suspect who was running from officers, but they also said it was a dangerous move that probably shouldn't be repeated.
Officers were in a car chase involving a stolen vehicle Sunday afternoon in Brookhaven, a borough about 20 minutes southwest of Philadelphia, Brookhaven police said.
The chase came to a stop after the vehicle struck a pole outside a home where the delivery driver, who wanted to be identified only by his first name, was on foot and about to drop off pizza, they said.
A voice on home security video obtained by NBC Philadelphia is heard saying, "That's a high-speed chase."
The suspect, whom police identified only as a 17-year-old boy, ran toward the red-shirted driver, who was limited in his response because his hands were full — of pizza.
The delivery driver threw out a jab of a kick that tripped the runner and allowed officers to catch up, the video shows.
The officers, in not so clean language, ordered the suspect to get on the ground after he went down with a thump but popped back up. "Idiot," someone on the video is heard saying.
The pie remained right side up and appeared to be unharmed.
"Thank you sir for the assist!!!" Brookhaven police said on Facebook "If you’re interested in a job we are always looking for good people."
The delivery driver's employer also praised him, because, it said on Facebook, he helped officers and "STILL delivered the food unharmed!!"
The disposition of the suspect was unclear, and his name is unlikely to be revealed because he is not an adult.
While the police department praised the delivery driver, it also cautioned members of the public not to get involved in what can be dangerous situations when suspects run.
"In all seriousness, we do ask people to not intervene," Police Chief Michael Vice said, according to NBC Philadelphia. "We do want to let the police handle it. But, in this case, it did work out."
The delivery driver resisted any hero talk.
"People think I did something extraordinary, and I don’t really think I did," he told the station. "I think I just did what you're supposed to do in a situation like that."
