Tulsan gets involved after reporting a crime, by helping police catch the suspects

A good citizen goes the extra mile. This Good Samaritan didn't just report a crime, he got totally involved, chasing down the suspects until police put them under arrest. <br><br>But he didn't

Thursday, April 29th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A good citizen goes the extra mile. This Good Samaritan didn't just report a crime, he got totally involved, chasing down the suspects until police put them under arrest.

But he didn't stop there; Wednesday he took the stand to testify against the suspects. News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright has the story.

David is an ordinary guy who did something extraordinary. When someone set a neighbor's car on fire a few weeks ago, he raced outside, got the hose and put it out before it could spread or blow up. Then, three nights later, when someone sprayed the house with bullets, David jumped into action again. "I heard seven, eight, 10 shots from an automatic weapon and I saw the car sitting there with the lights off and the brake lights on."

David hopped in his car and took off after the suspects while calling 911 on his cell phone. They got on the Broken Arrow Expressway and got off at the Utica exit, David tailing them the entire way. When they pulled up to a Quik Trip to make some phone calls, David jumped out and put the hood up and pretended to be checking his oil. He had another citizen get the tag number while he was on the phone to the police directing them to the scene.

Officers arrested the two brothers, David and Raymond Badgwell a few blocks away and found a gun in their car.

You'd think our Good Samaritan's work was done. A subpoena arrived in the mail, so now he's going to testify too. "This guy, if somebody hadn't done something, if he'd light a car on fire, shoot up a house, somebody was going to get, you just never know."

David believes other people would've done the same thing, because nobody wants crime in their neighborhood, and if you let it go, it only gets worse.

The News on 6 checked court records and learned there is a protective order against David Badgwell from an Owasso girl. He's charged with violating that protective order and it was her friend who told the authorities. That's why they think he went after the friend, with the fire and the drive-by shooting. Now, she has a protective order against him, too.