They don't want you to call them heroes but tonight two off duty police officers are being commended for rushing to the aid of damsels in distress. The first is Police Detective #186 Samuel Bonilla. Bonilla was walking on Newtown Barracks yesterday afternoon around 3:15 when he saw Elsy Correa being accosted by two men. Bonilla told us that even though he was off duty, he didn't think twice about pulling his service revolver and going after the assailants.
Samuel Bonilla, Police Detective
"I was on Newtown Barracks and I observed that two young men were harassing a Hispanic female person. I saw one of the male persons who was harassing the female run towards my direction and that is when I took out my service firearm and I pointed it at the accused and I identified myself as a police officer. I informed him that he was under arrest. I conducted a search on him and in his left hand he had a chain that the Hispanic female says was hers."
Keith Swift,
Why did you decide to rush to the aid of this lady?
Samuel Bonilla,
"I am a police officer and I am a police officer 24 hours. One of my obligations is for me to protect life and property and seeing that the woman was in trouble, I just used my initiative and I stepped up to her rescue."
Keith Swift,
Do you consider your actions heroic?
Samuel Bonilla,
"I wouldn't say that because that is part of my job."
The alleged thief Bonilla collared has been identified as 19-year-old Tyrone Godoy. He has since been charged with robbery. Godoy appeared in court today.
Meanwhile on Saturday morning, off-duty Inspector Alford Grinage was driving near Petticoat Alley when he was alerted to a female in a red Ford car under attack. The cries were coming from Marie Sabala who was being assaulted by a chain snatcher. Sabala has told police that driving down New Road and was approached by a man asking to wash her car. She refused and that is when she
claims the man reached into her car and grabbed her chain. Inspector Grinage was in the area and got out of his car and pursued the chain snatcher on foot and later apprehended him. The alleged thief has been identified as 41-year-old Andy Avilez and he too has been charged with robbery.
