Viral Delco pizza delivery driver honored by police at Cocco's
ASTON, Pa. (CBS) -- Brookhaven police gathered community members Wednesday night to honor the pizza delivery driver who helped them catch a suspect accused of stealing a car.
Tyler Morrell, the delivery driver, was greeting customers and making drinks behind the bar of Cocco's Pizza Aston, but he was the one they came out to toast.
"He's a local hero, stepped up to the plate," Mike Warrick said.
"It's been incredible, it's been the craziest 72 hours of my life," Morrell said.
On Sunday, Morrell was delivering a pizza to a home in nearby Brookhaven when a quick-thinking leg sweep stopped an alleged car thief in his tracks and sent the suspect flying into the air and eventually into police custody.
"It was literally the right place at the right time," Michael Vice, the Brookhaven Police Chief, said. "He was able to give us that split second so that our officers who were here tonight were able to close that gap and take him into police custody."
"I've been a police officer for 15 years and I've never seen anything like that," Timothy Habich, a Sergeant with Brookhaven Police, said.
Habich was first to apprehend the suspect and saw the trip that stopped the 17-year-old cold.
"I actually had an audible 'yeah' when it happened," Habich said.
Morrel's dad says his son's days playing lacrosse came in handy.
"That to me was like a kick save, he's done a lot of those," Jerry Morrell, his father, said.
But what he's most proud of is his spirit to help.
"We tried to raise him to not step away from things," Jerry Morrell said.
For right now Tyler Morrell is saving up to open his own cheesesteak shop and says he's grateful for the support he's received.
"For all these people to come out tonight, I have friends here, my family, it's awesome," Tyler Morrell said.
As for the chief, he's hoping Tyler may reconsider a career in law enforcement – calling him a natural for the job.
"He's got one heck of a shot I'd say he probably has a leg up," Vice said. "I couldn't resist."
