Hero Dad Thwarts Man Attempting To Steal Truck With Child Inside

A Woodward man was arrested Wednesday night after Guthrie Police said he tried to steal a truck with a child inside.

Thursday, November 20th 2014, 7:06 pm

By: News 9


A Woodward man was arrested Wednesday night after Guthrie Police said he tried to steal a truck with a child inside.

The child's father, Sean Dunagan, pinned the suspect down until officers arrived and it was all caught on video.

“I look back and that's when I see my door starting to close and I see that guy's face right there in my windshield,” Dunagan told News 9.

Dunagan was at a Guthrie convenience store in the 2300 block of Oklahoma Avenue around 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Inside the running truck was Dunagan's 5-year-old son, Matthew, who stayed inside to keep warm while his dad was just feet away.

“Just fear, I've never felt anything like that before in my life,” said Dunagan. “It was a mixture of fear and adrenaline,” he added.

Dunagan had just pulled up behind his friend's SUV and he was pumping her gas for her just feet away from his own truck when it happened. He ran to the truck and the security footage showed Dunagan wrestling with the man in the driver's seat.

“I was sitting here trying to get the door unlocked while he was kicking me that's why I've got all these bruises on me,” Dunagan explained.

Dunagan's friend, Kristina Hoel, got out of her SUV and ran to get Matthew out of the truck while Dunagan kept the guy pinned down.

“It could happen to anyone, anytime,” said Hoel. “It doesn't matter who you are, I mean, this is Guthrie, pretty much everyone almost knows everybody and I didn't think it would ever happen to us, and it did,” added Hoel.

When Guthrie Police arrived, video shows that the suspect, 28-year-old Robert Bell of Woodward, kicked one of the officers before they took him down.

“He just got this crazy look in his eye and started coming unglued that was about how he was the rest of the time,” Dunagan recalled.

Dunagan is sore from some punches, kicks and a busted lip, but he said all that matters is Matthew is safe.

“I'm thankful my son is okay, that's all that matters,” said Dunagan. “He's never been around anything like that before, so it was something that he'll probably remember for the rest of his life,” Dunagan added.

A Guthrie Police officer was hurt in the scuffle, but the police department said he will be okay and already returned to work.

Bell was booked in the Logan County Jail on numerous complaints including attempted kidnapping and assault and battery.

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