HOUSTON — A Texas man helped chase down and corral a suspect during a carjacking that turned fatal on Wednesday, according to ABC 13.
Lewis Matos survived a violent crime months earlier, so he was not about to sit idly by as a dangerous suspect was carjacking a woman.
On May 26 a car crashed through a wall at his place of employment — AAMCO Transmissions — knocking him from his chair and pushing debris on top of him. Two suspects jumped out of the vehicle and tried to shoot Matos while his desk pinned him to the ground, Fox News reported.
The suspects were engage in a carjacking when Matos suddenly found himself writhing on the floor in pain.
“Here I was laying on the floor in horrific pain. I was pinned by this desk,” said Matos.
ARRESTED: Marcus Wayne Brock, 55, is charged with capital murder in the 176th State District Court in the death of Jessica Garza, 41, at 557 Uvalde Road on Tuesday afternoon (September 28).
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— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) September 29, 2021
So months later, and near the seen of the crime in May, Matos found himself witnessing another violent crime.
On Wednesday at about 2:30 p.m., Matos saw a man trying to force a woman, Jessica Garza, from her car on Uvalde Road, ABC 13 reported.
“I jumped in my car, I didn’t even think,” Matos said. “All I kept thinking was ‘he’s not getting away.’”
The suspect was later identified by police as Marcus Wayne Brock. He drove off with the vehicle while dragging Garza along the ground for four or five blocks as her seatbelt trapped her against the car. Matos followed for a time but was unable to impede the violence before Garza was killed.
“I was mortified,” Matos said. “When I picked up that piece of signage that was on top of her car, and I saw what he did to her, I was enraged.”
Brock, 55, eventually crashed into a carwash before fleeing the scene on foot, according to FOX.
Not to be deterred, Matos continued to pursue Brock until he found him in a liquor store and detained him until officers arrived.
Police believe that Brock was involved in the robbery of an auto parts store before carjacking Garza’s automobile in an attempt to flee the scene, KHOU reported.
Matos succinctly stated why he chose to get involved. He said he was fed up “watching everybody always getting away.”
He also said that people need to look out for their neighbors.
“You don’t have to put yourself in harms way, but be more vigilant. Keep an eye on your neighbors, your friends and help”
According to court records, Brock has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1985, with charges ranging from drug possession to burglary.
