Reynaldo Rodriguez of Springfield was charged with several felonies after a postman and citizens captured him following a Friday morning purse snatching.
Reynaldo RodriguezSPRINGFIELD - A city man who allegedly attacked an elderly woman and stole her purse Friday morning got more than he bargained for after a postman and several good Samaritans refused to stand by while the woman was victimized.
Reynaldo Rodriguez, 34 of 112 Stockman St. was charged with assault to rob while armed, assault on a person over the age of 65 and assault and battery on a public employee Friday, following the incident which happened a short time before noon.
Just after 11:30 a.m., police were called to the corner of Lyman and Chestnut streets to arrest Rodriguez for taking the victim's purse. When police officers Joselito Lozada and Francisco Duncan took Rodriguez into custody, they spoke to the victim and a witness who explained the heroic chain of events that led to the man's apprehension, according to Sgt. John Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William J. Fitchett.
The victim told police she parked her car in front of the medical building located at 125 Liberty St. and got out of her car. As she exited the vehicle, Rodriguez came up from behind and shoved her and grabbed her purse out of the car.
The woman grabbed his legs as she tried to stop him but he kicked her and ran through parking lots toward Chestnut Street.
A 45-year-old unidentified man as well as a uniformed United States Postal Service employee saw the attack and went after Rodriguez.
The postman, 57-year-old Jeffrey Atkins of Agawam, parked his mail truck at 191 Chestnut Street and chased Rodriguez down and confronted him, Delaney said. When Rodriguez pushed the postman, Atkins tackled him to the ground and the two men fought on the ground.
Citizens who were in the area saw the situation and came to the aid of the postman. Rodriguez, who was found to be armed with a box cutter, was detained by the group until officers Lozada and Duncan arrived.
"He was a dangerous fleeing felon and Mr. Atkins did a very commendable job," Delaney said. "The officers recovered the 65 year old victims purse and all her belongings. This was an outstanding arrest with the assistance of the public"
Rodriguez will spend the weekend in the city jail until arraignment in Springfield District Court on Monday.