A neighbor came to the rescue of a 91-year-old woman who was struggling with a man accused of trying to rob her in Scottsdale, Arizona, within 45 minutes of being released from jail last week, Phoenix television station KNXV reported Tuesday.
Danny Nicholas, 36, was released from the city jail about 11:35 a.m. on May 20, according to the Scottsdale Police Department.
About 12:15 p.m., police say Nicholas knocked on the door of a 91-year-old woman near 64th Street and Osborn Road asking for a ride home.
When she refused, Nicholas allegedly pushed the woman to the ground and tried to steal the wedding ring off her finger.
The woman’s neighbor, Catherine Mason, saw Nicholas go after the woman after her 8-year-old daughter alerted to her what was taking place. Mason then confronted him in the house, pushing him out of the home, according to KNXV.
“It was total luck that we saw what happened. The door was closed, and I just kind of barged in, and he was right there she was on the ground and I kind of just yanked him up and started yelling and he just ran,” Mason told the station.
The woman was taken to the hospital to be checked out after hitting her head on the tile when she was pushed.
Police questioned a store clerk at a convenience store in the direction Nicholas was seen heading after the confrontation. The clerk told police that Nicholas asked for some water, saying he was just released from jail, authorities said.
Jail staff identified Nicholas as someone who had just been released from custody.
Police found and arrested Nicholas about 1.5 miles away after receiving several calls from people outside a business regarding a man requesting a ride home.
“It’s a good reminder for the kids, remind your kids, remind your grandparents – just don’t answer the door if it’s somebody you don’t know,” said Mason. “Keep an eye out for your neighbors.”
Nicholas is being held without bond and has been charged with robbery, burglary, and kidnapping.