By Moses Leos III.
Quick thinking helped a Kyle doctor escape an alleged robbery and kidnapping situation at a Buda Sac-N-Pac Monday afternoon.
The alleged perpetrator, a 16-year-old male Hays High School student, was arrested by Buda police and charged with robbery and aggravated kidnapping. The student is being held at the Hays County Juvenile Detention Center (HCJDC) in San Marcos.
Dr. Marc Wenzel’s ordeal began as he was leaving his practice at the Seton Family of Doctors at Hays office in Kyle a little after 5 p.m. According to Buda Police Chief Bo Kidd, the suspect approached the doctor for a ride home.
The suspect told Wenzel he got in an argument with his mother, who left him at the hospital. The doctor agreed to give the teen a lift; the teen informed Wenzel he lived in Buda near Cabela’s.
The 16-year-old directed Wenzel to Stone Rim Loop in the Stoneridge subdivision, according to Kidd. The suspect did not live in the subdivision; he resides in the Meadows at Buda. Upon stopping, Wenzel told police the alleged suspect produced a weapon and demanded money.
Kidd said the weapon was a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a similar pistol to the one he personally carries. The suspect told police he found the firearm on the side of the road.
According to the police report, Wenzel offered the suspect $20. The teen then forced Wenzel to drive to the Sac-N-Pac on FM 2001 to draw more money from an ATM.
After reviewing the surveillance camera footage, Kidd said the two entered the store around 5:46 p.m. The 16-year-old followed behind Wenzel, with the gun in his pocket.
However, upon obtaining money from the ATM, the doctor took the chance and subdued the suspect in a “bear hug” from behind.
He told authorities he feared for his life once he handed over the money, saying he felt he needed to take the opportunity to extricate himself from the situation.
After subduing the suspect, the victim informed the cashier to call 9-1-1, saying the young man was armed.
Kidd said the two got into a struggle, knocking over items.
Two bystanders entered the store as Wenzel tried to subdue the suspect. Both told police they saw the two men fall to the ground.
One of the witnesses saw the perpetrator attempt to retrieve the gun during the struggle, but dropped it in the process. That person picked the firearm up and handed it to the cashier.
At that point, the witnesses and the victim helped restrain the suspect until Buda police officers arrived at 5:52 p.m.
Prior to hearing the story, Kidd and the Buda Police had originally charged the young man with robbery. After learning the driver was forced to go to the ATM, they added the aggravated kidnapping charge.
“At that point, he was being held against his will, so that met the elements [of aggravated kidnapping],” Kidd said.
Kidd said viewing the store’s surveillance videotape helped them make the arrest. The department informed Hays High School of the situation then transferred him to the HCJDC. Kidd estimated the suspect would be held at the detention center for an undisclosed period of time, due to the serious charges against him.
He also believed the suspect’s plan was premeditated, saying he was not “caught up in something that went wrong.”
The bold nature of the crime was a first for Buda police. Kidd said the three-year old department has never seen anything like it.
“That’s not something we see everyday,” Kidd said. “We haven’t had [a situation] like this.”
Kidd lauded the actions of Wenzel, saying he acted courageously.
However, he was hesitant to give advice to people when facing a similar situation. Kidd said there were too many variables involved. Kidd did say going to an ATM in a convenience store, where the suspect was forced to hide the weapon, proved to be quick thinking on Wenzel’s part.
“I’m just glad everything worked out the way it did,” Kidd said.
The suspect is still in custody at the HCJDC, where he awaits a second hearing in ten days.
