28-year-old Samuel Patterson of Wagner, South Dakota, has been taken into custody on charges of Aggravated Assault and Grand Theft following an incident in central Sioux Falls on Thursday night. The events unfolded in the 600 block of W. 11th St.
At the time of the incident, a vehicle was parked in a driveway, with three young girls, aged 4 to 11, inside, awaiting the emergence of a parent. Seizing an opportunity, a man entered the truck with the intention of stealing it. However, his plan was thwarted when the 11-year-old girl raised her voice and confronted him, prompting the suspect to retreat, seemingly caught off guard.
The eldest girl promptly informed her family of the incident, who in turn alerted their neighbors. Seizing the chance to escape, the suspect fled on foot. A vigilant security guard in the vicinity observed the man running and observed him enter a nearby store.
Upon being informed that the suspect was hiding in the store’s restroom and creating a disturbance, the store manager sought the removal of the individual. The security guard, upon entering the restroom to address the suspect, was confronted with a knife that the suspect brandished and waved threateningly. A scuffle ensued between the security guard and the suspect.
Subsequently, the suspect retreated back into the bathroom. Fortunately, the security guard emerged from the encounter with only minor injuries resulting from the scuffle, having successfully avoided harm from the knife. Law enforcement officers promptly arrived at the scene, prompting the suspect to surrender.
Patterson now faces charges of Aggravated Assault and Grand Theft. It is worth noting that under South Dakota law, attempting to commit a crime is treated equivalently to committing the crime itself. Additionally, the suspect was found to have an outstanding warrant from another county.