Austin Police arrest attempted carjacker
AUSTIN, Texas - John Martinez O'Felan is an Austin film producer. Just before midnight on Monday he and his brother were driving back home from HEB when they noticed something at Pleasant Valley and 5th.
"As the light turned red I began to slow down to stop and out of this direction right here I see a guy coming and he's screaming and flagging for help," O'Felan said.
The whole thing seemed a little bit fishy to him because in addition to the guy flagging him down O'Felan saw another guy by the dumpster hiding.
"When he saw that I locked my door he went into this rage and started cursing and he said 'get the F out' of my car, he ran at my door and then the other individual charged at the passenger door," O'Felan said.
O'Felan says he kept driving and called 911. While on the phone with dispatchers he circled back to the HEB on 7th and Pleasant Valley to see if he could track down the attempted carjackers.
"At the last minute right before I hang up with 911, I spotted the individuals walking through the parking lot and so when the police arrived there was about 9 to 12 cars that formed a circle," he said.
O'Felan says the same guy who was flagging him down ran from officers through the parking lot.
"And there was probably about 5 to 7 officers chasing him and he was outrunning every single one of them," O'Felan said.
That's when officers tased him and cuffed him according to O'Felan.
Austin Police confirm the incident and tell Fox 7 only one of the two men were actually arrested. Kyle Stephen Chaffin was booked into the Travis County Jail and charged with possession of a controlled substance less than a gram, evading arrest and tampering with evidence.
O'Felan says he was there during the arrest.
"He looks at me and starts cursing and I tell him, you know I'm a spiritual person, and so I say 'I believe the spirit of the serpent is what's attacking you right now' and at that moment the guy begins crushing his head into the door. As if he's trying to kill himself, he gashes his scalp open and gashes his forehead open, he's bleeding everywhere," O'Felan said.
It was one of the most terrifying situations in O'Felan's life.
"Lock your doors and pay attention to your surroundings. Because had I not seen the other individual standing by the trash can, I definitely probably would have opened the window and asked the guy if he needed help," O'Felan said.
Austin Police say if you’re driving at night and someone is flagging you down, get to a safe location and call 911. If it’s a small child or if someone is injured, still get to a safe place and call 911 but keep your eyes on the person.