WILLIAMSPORT -- Police in Williamsport are not encouraging people to take the risk a delivery driver took this weekend to stop a robber.
A Chinese food take-out driver drove his car into the crook after watching his coworkers get held up at gunpoint.
Williamsport police say Joe Newman was risking his life, but Newman says he was doing what he thought was right when he aimed his car at a robber.
During five years delivering food for New China Royal in Williamsport, Newman has trekked a lot of miles and has seen a lot of things.
"We were just robbed a month ago," he said.
If one robbery wasn't enough, someone came in on Saturday night and tried to rob the place on Washington Boulevard again.
"Pulling out I was getting ready to run a delivery, and I looked 'cause I was getting ready to pull out into traffic, and I seen him walking across the street, hood up, and I could see he was walking fast, and I stopped," Newman said.
Newman could see everything going on through the window on the side of the building and instead of going to deliver that order he decided to come back and help.
The robber, who is seen on surveillance video, pulled out a gun and demanded money. He left empty-handed after an employee ran to a side door and called for help.
"You can see the tire marks from where I hit him a little bit," Newman pointed out.
Newman waited for the robber outside and drove his minivan right into the man. The robber dropped his gun, but managed to run away.
"It was the only thing I could think of to do. I wasn't going to get out and fight him if he had a gun. I wasn't going to take a bullet," Newman continued.
Now, he hopes someone will be able to spot the robber.
"Someone is going to notice someone with a limp like I mean he was limping that night. I know he felt bad yesterday," he said.
As the search for the robber continues, police in Williamsport tell Newswatch 16 they do not recommend doing what Newman did.
While they understand people want to protect their business, they advise staying calm and paying close attention to details.
