Good Samaritans Help Recover Stolen OKC Non-Profit's Van

A good Samaritan’s 911 call led police to a man who was driving a stolen passenger van.  

“Peaceful Family Solutions” is an Oklahoma City non-profit that helps children, whose families have dealt with, or are dealing with addiction.  Sometime late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, someone stole the organization’s 15-seat Jim Vance Ford passenger van, from the front driveway of their headquarters.

It was crushing, because “Peaceful Family Solutions” Executive Director Ted Streuli said they use the van to pick up many of their clients to receive services.

Shortly after News 9’s 10 p.m. newscast Thursday, William Fisher and his wife Brenda called 911, because they realized they were right behind the van that had been reported stolen.

“We were going about 90 miles an hour most of the time behind them,” said Fisher.

OKC Police Spokesperson Megan Morgan said, “It just turned out that there happened to be an officer right there in the area.” 

Jerry Don Martin, 25, led police on a chase for about two miles, before he ran through a chain link fence and crashed at 1201 South May Avenue. Neighbors’ dogs nearby kept Martin at bay until police got there, and arrested him for seven complaints, including eluding police and drug possession.

Streuli said he’s grateful for what the good Samaritans and police did for his organization.

“I was astonished both how quickly they responded, and how efficiently they responded,” he said.