Citizen Helps Police Officer Detain Fleeing Suspect

A 39-year-old DeLand man is being praised by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office for jumping into action to help a deputy during a traffic stop. Deputy Wesley Blum pulled over Brittany Brown, 27, of DeLand, and Harry Marrison, 40, of DeBary, Wednesday night on Circle Drive in DeLand. Blum pulled over the pickup truck because the tag number was registered to a different vehicle, investigators said. Blum said on several occasions, Marrison tried to get out of the vehicle after the deputy told him not to do so, investigators said. Marrison got of the vehicle, and the deputy used his Taser, but Marrison continued running, investigators said. Blum used his ASP baton to stop Marrison, but that also didn’t work, investigators said. The two began physically fighting, when a good Samaritan, Shawn Kelly, was driving by, saw the two fighting in the dirt and helped subdue Marrison, investigators said.

"I stopped and immediately jumped out and assisted the officer because they had the upper hand on him," Kelly said. "He (Blum) was grateful that I was there." No one was injured. Marrison said told investigators he ran because he left a court mandated treatment program and thought he had a warrant for his arrest. Marrison was arrested on charges of resisting arrest with violence. Brown was arrested on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and issued a citation for driving with a suspended license. "If i had to do it right now, I would do it again, just because it's the right thing to do," Kelly said.