A terrifying situation in Florida concluded this week with an arrest and the rescue of two children who were inside a stolen truck.
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The potentially dangerous situation unfolded in Tampa, Florida, on Monday, when Deputy Jonathan Pazmino Alvarez was flagged down by a man who said his 2011 white Chevrolet Silverado was stolen with his kids inside.
With every second mattering, Alvarez jumped into gear to try to rescue the kids. He chased the truck and, within minutes, was able to pull the driver over.
That’s when Alvarez confronted 37-year-old Kevin Smith, who was allegedly operating the vehicle, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
“It’s not me,” the suspect seems to be saying in video footage of the incident. Smith was then purportedly at first resistant to exit the truck over fears the officer would “punch” him.
One of the kids inside can also be heard proclaiming, “That’s not my dad,” before Alvarez calmly extracted Smith and placed him in handcuffs.
Smith was arrested and faces felony kidnapping and grand theft motor vehicle charges.
The two children in the car, ages 4 and 8, were returned without incident and were unharmed.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said the situation could have been much worse had Alvarez not taken such “swift” and pointed action.
“Thanks to him, two children are safe and in the arms of their loved ones today,” Chronister said.
Smith reportedly has a criminal history dating back to 2003.
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