Good Samaritan ends up victim of car theft

A man who stopped to offer aid to a person thrown from a car became the victim in an apparent strong-armed car theft on North Root River Parkway on Dec. 9.

According to a Greendale police report:

The man was driving on South 76th Street near the Timber Wolf Preserve shortly before 8:30 p.m. when he observed a vehicle in front of him pull to the side of the road and throw a person out the passenger side door.

The man stated he pulled over and got out of his vehicle to see if the passenger needed help when someone suddenly came up behind him and began choking him.

While the victim was wrestling with his attacker, the passenger who was "thrown" from the car got up from the side of the road and got into the victim's vehicle, and his assailant got into his vehicle.

The victim took off and ran into the parkway to escape the two suspects, who began chasing him once they got into the cars.

Police reported the car as stolen in the National Crime Information Center database. A hunting bow and a shotgun were apparently inside the vehicle. A police investigation is ongoing.