Samaritan shot, run over while trying to stop heist
Michael Ging/The Arizona Republic
Phoenix paramedics tend to Ronald Nichelson, 60, a snack truck driver who was shot in the leg by a robber on Friday.
By Ashley Bach
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 01, 2001
A Phoenix man trying to break up the robbery of a snack truck was critically injured Friday after he was run over by one of the robbers and shot with his own gun, police said.
Robert D. Parker, 35, was shot three times in the stomach and once in the leg after he tried to help the driver of a truck who was being robbed in west Phoenix, Phoenix police Sgt. Randy Force said.
"It's a strong-arm robbery that went awry," Lt. Jeri Williams said. "Someone tried to come and help out, but it went sideways."
Two men approached the Ralph's Snack Bar truck at about 10:50 a.m. while it was stopped at a traffic signal at 33rd Avenue and Thomas Road. They stole a wallet from the driver, Ronald Nichelson, 60, then demanded more money. When Nichelson said the money was in the back, the men pistol-whipped him and shot him in the leg, Force said.
Parker, who was waiting in traffic behind the snack truck, saw the commotion and leapt from his car with his gun in hand. He confronted the two men as they were about to leave and fired one shot but missed, Force said.
A third robber, stopped behind the snack truck, drove forward and hit Parker, sending him flying, police said. One of the other robbers then walked around the snack truck and shot Parker with the Samaritan's own gun, police said.
Parker was in critical condition Friday night at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center.
Nichelson, the driver, was at St. Joseph's with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police are searching for the three robbers, who drove away in a small white Toyota or Nissan pickup truck or sport utility vehicle. They are described as being 25 to 30 years old.
A female cook who was in the back of the snack truck escaped unharmed.
Ray Waggoner was raking leaves a few houses away when he heard the shots. He called police on his cellphone and then rushed over to Parker, who was bleeding from his abdomen.
"I looked down and I told him, 'It's going to be OK. You're going to make it.' " Waggoner said. "Then I prayed for him."
Ambulances arrived within minutes, but the experience hasn't faded, Waggoner said. "It was really awful," he said.
Bertha Cebular, who works nearby, said she was scared to hear the news.
"You live with it," she said. "Now I know not to be a good Samaritan."