A man in Minneapolis protected his children during a carjacking on Wednesday night by following the culprit in his stolen SUV. According to police, once the suspect fled into Derek Gotchie’s car, he entered the suspect’s automobile and followed him down.
Derek Gotchie came to rescue
He slammed the door, prompting the carjacker to exit and leave. His four children, all under the age of five, were seated in the backseat. Nobody was injured.
Derek Gotchie was in the 800 block of Russel Avenue North, giving gifts to a friend.
Death, his wife, had taken the final thing out and begged him to close the trunk to keep their four children warm inside.
“As I close the trunk, this man rushes out of the taxi minivan and goes to my vehicle. I go to my truck’s door and attempt to unlock it, but he drives away, “Derek Gotchie said.
The minivan that was left behind was also taken. Derek Gotchie claims that his fatherly instincts took control.
“I saw my truck heading down the road, and I noticed the van was still on the road, and it’s running, and the door is wide open, and my first thought was, I’m jumping in this van, and I’m going to get my kids,” said Derek Gotchie.
Gotchie apprehended the carjacker driving his SUV within a few blocks, around Penn and Plymouth Avenues North.
“We were heading down the wrong way of a one-way, and there was a vehicle coming towards us, so he pulled off behind parked vehicles to let that car by and as soon as he turned sideways to get around the parked vehicle, I just rammed the back of my truck trying to pin him against a fence,” Derek Gotchie said.
The alleged carjacker jumped out and fled.
“I ran up, I checked on the kids, I looked at him, and he is halfway across the parking lot, and he is just yelling, ‘I’m sorry,'” Derek Gotchie said.
The family SUV was damaged, but it could be repaired.
Death eventually arrived at the site, and police were the first to inform her of what had occurred.
“I’m not a hero; I’m just a dad doing dad stuff. My children are going home with me anyway, “According to Derek Gotchie.
Police are still looking for the carjacking culprit, but WCCO reports that fingerprints were recovered from the stolen SUV. They said the individual is facing not just probable carjacking charges but also possibly abduction charges.
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