Would-Be Catalytic Converter Thieves Try To Run Over Witness: 'They Were Coming Straight At Me'
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A neighbor trying to stop a crime became the victim of another one.
Alejandro Plascencia was walking his dog early Saturday morning in Sacramento when he heard a familiar sound of a power tool being used.
"I heard a power tool going off right behind me. I work at the hospital in security, I'm used to hearing about catalytic converter thefts all the time," he explained.
Plascencia walked across the street and spotted a catalytic converter theft in progress. What he didn't expect was for the alleged thieves to come after him.
"I did not know what was going on until that last split second," he said.
Security video caught the sounds of a power tool. When Plascencia walked outside, the sound immediately stopped. Plascencia said he saw a man and woman trying to steal a catalytic converter from across the street. The couple immediately spotted him and jumped into their car as he tried to take a picture.
"They were coming straight at me and that's when I knew I'm about to get hit. It wasn't enough time to go left or right but it was enough time to jump," said Plascencia.
In security video you can hear a loud thump, as the car allegedly hits Plascencia, before seeing a silver Ford SUV speeding the wrong way down W Street. Plascencia said he made eye contact with the driver before the man rammed into him.
"I hit the hood as I was coming down, jumped up, and rolled over," he said.
That jump helped save him from serious injuries. He walked away with only a couple of scratches and bruises, as well as a possible hairline fracture in his left knee. His girlfriend, Sabrina Padilla, is happy his injuries aren't more significant.
"He is very, very lucky," she said.
Padilla said she thinks about what would've happened, if he didn't jump in time or if the car had hit Plascencia at a faster speed.
"(They) Probably could've broken his legs, ran over his feet or something, he would've gotten hurt pretty badly," she said.
While the couple is thankful it wasn't worse, they are now looking for justice.
"They need to be held responsible for their crimes, this is not okay," said Padilla.
Plascencia described the suspects as a man and woman in their 40's to 50's driving a silver Ford SUV.
"It's sad that people would go through that much to actually hurt somebody just for, I don't know how much money it is but $400, $500, $1,000 whatever it is, that's crazy," said Plascencia.
Sacramento police are investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact them.