Good Samaritan Helps Port Arthur Officer Subdue Armed Suspect, Awarded for Bravery

On November 19, 2024, at approximately 2:45 p.m., officers responded to a report of a traffic hazard in the 5000 block of Gulfway Drive, where a tan truck was parked sideways and the driver, later identified as 47-year-old Warren Mills, was dancing in the middle of the street. Witnesses believed Mills was under the influence of an unknown substance, with heavy traffic in the area as school was about to let out.

When an officer attempted to arrest Mills, he resisted and fought back. During the struggle, the officer saw that Mills was armed with a knife. The officer deployed a Taser, but it was ineffective.

At this point, citizen Jose Zepeda saw the situation unfolding and rushed to assist the officer. Zepeda stepped into the roadway and helped pin down Mills after the officer was knocked to the ground when Mills grabbed her leg. Despite a family member of Mills arriving and assaulting Zepeda, he held onto the suspect until more officers arrived and took Mills into custody. The family member was also arrested.

Zepeda’s bravery in risking his safety to assist the officer was recognized by the Port Arthur Police Department. On December 4, Zepeda was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation by Chief Duriso for his courageous actions in preventing a potentially more dangerous situation.