{"id":13798,"date":"2016-03-21T15:59:11","date_gmt":"2016-03-21T15:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/georgiaarsoncontrol.org\/?p=13798"},"modified":"2016-03-21T15:59:51","modified_gmt":"2016-03-21T15:59:51","slug":"video-berks-sheriffs-deputy-foils-armed-robbery-of-cab-driver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/georgiaarsoncontrol.org\/?p=13798","title":{"rendered":"Video: Berks sheriff’s deputy foils armed robbery of cab driver"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watch the video HERE\u203a\u203a<\/a><\/p>\n

(WFMZ<\/a>) \u2013 With a gun at his head and fear in his heart, a cab driver found his \u201clifesaver\u201d to be a Berks County sheriff\u2019s deputy who happened to be in the right place at the right time.<\/p>\n

Deputy Terry Ely was behind a Reading Metro cab that was stopped for the traffic light at North 10th and Buttonwood streets shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday. \u201cIt was a red light,\u201d Ely told 69 News. \u201cIt then cycled through to green. The car did not move, and it went back to red again. At that point, I just wanted to make sure everything was OK in the car.\u201d At the same time, surveillance cameras inside the cab were rolling as a passenger in the backseat pulled out a gun, aimed it at the driver and demanded his money.<\/p>\n

\u201cGive me all your money, man\u2026 I need it all right now if you don\u2019t want to die,\u201d the masked man, later identified by police as Victor Martinez-<\/p>\n

Herrer, screamed to the driver. \u201cAll hell broke loose,\u201d the driver, Ralph Valletta, told 69 News on Tuesday. \u201cThe gun came out at my head. He was screaming at me. He had his hoodie pulled down and I couldn\u2019t see anything but his eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The panicked driver complied with the armed passenger\u2019s demands, handing over $11 from one of his pockets.<\/p>\n

Moments later, the video shows Ely, the sheriff\u2019s deputy, activating his car\u2019s flashing lights and walking toward the stopped cab to investigate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI stood in the back to try and hear the conversation ahead of time so knew what I was getting myself into,\u201d Ely said. \u201cAt that point, I heard the driver say, \u2018Just please don\u2019t shoot me.\u2019<\/p>\n

The deputy, drawing his firearm, ordered Martinez-Herrer out of the vehicle and down on the ground as he called for backup from city police officers.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"