A Houston pastor is being hailed as a hero after he helped stop a man from attacking an elderly couple in their home. Heath Haynes, the local pastor, said he heard Sharon Koehn yelling for help outside his home on June 15.
He initially thought it was a medical emergency but soon realized that a man was attacking her husband. Haynes quickly ran to the Koehns’ home and saw his 85-year-old neighbor, Earl Koehn, on the floor with a coat rack over his chest and a man rifling through his pockets.
Haynes banged on the door and yelled at the suspect, identified as 54-year-old Shane Jennings, who was acting like he lived there. Haynes then took out his phone and began recording the scene, hoping to deter Jennings from becoming more violent.
Haynes managed to subdue Jennings for a few moments, but the suspect claimed he did not attack the couple and tried to escape.
Jennings drove the Koehns’ pickup truck through a fence, sideswiped the house, repeatedly hit another parked vehicle in the driveway, ran over some trash cans, and took off down the road.
Police captured Jennings later that day following a short police chase, where Jennings also reportedly hit a police vehicle. He was hit with six felony charges, including aggravated assault of an elderly person and assault of a peace officer.
Haynes credited his faith for his actions, saying that as a Christ follower, he was acting on something that’s deeper inside. He also said divine intervention led him to be there at the right moment. The Koehns did not suffer serious injuries during the attack and are processing the incident.
The incident highlights the importance of being vigilant and taking action to protect our neighbors, especially the elderly and vulnerable.
In a world where crime and danger are prevalent, it is heartening to see people like Haynes stepping up to help complete strangers. We can all learn from his example and strive to be good Samaritans in our own communities.