© KOCO 5 neighborhood attack
A 78-year-old man was attacked near his own home in broad daylight when a neighbor stopped it.
Richard Relyea said he saw an older man being attacked in his driveway. In an effort to stop the attack, Relyea chased down the suspect by a park until the police arrived.
The local hero saved the 78-year-old man after seeing a conversation turn into an attack.
“When I turned around, they weren’t conversating anymore it looked like somebody was on the floor in their garage,” Relyea said.
Police said the attack happened after the 14-year-old suspect asked for money.
“The man initially gave the juvenile about twenty bucks but in the process of pulling out his wallet to give that money, he was assaulted,” said Sarah Jensen, Norman Police Department.
A quick reaction stopped the assault.
“I don’t think there was any time to kind of process it,” Relyea said.
He saved the man’s life, who was hit multiple times with brass knuckles.
“It was horrible. I never want to see somebody in that age group being assaulted by anybody,” Relyea said.
Yet, he claims it wasn’t heroic.
“I’m not a hero. I’m just another guy who saw the wrong thing and tried to do the right thing,” Relyea said.
He urges everyone to watch out for their neighbors.
“Sadly, in this time, we can’t be so friendly with everybody coming to our door and asking for anything,” Relyea said.
Police said they chased the suspect and once he was in custody, they were given several different names and birthdates, but eventually confirmed his name. He has been charged.
We are also told the man who was attacked is home and recovering.
READ THE FULL STORY:Neighbor stops attack of 78-year-old man near home in Norman