Transient Sees Driver with a Flat, Tries to Help, Gets Arrested

San Diego police arrested a man Sunday after he tried to help a stranded motorist in an unusual way – by “borrowing” a piece of heavy equipment.

A driver with a flat tire was sitting in the Grocery Outlet parking lot in the East Village, according to OnScene.TV, when a transient allegedly went to a construction site, climbed into an excavator and drove it across the street to the store.

He also allegedly took down a fence that was protecting the work area.

With direction from the owner of the Nissan Sentra, the suspect lifted the vehicle so the driver could change his tire. The suspect also applied the teeth of the equipment’s bucket to the car.

Officers arrived on the scene, at Market Street and 10th Avenue, and took the transient into custody for the alleged theft.

From the back of a police car, the man told OnScene “I was helping somebody” and added “I have a right to get out because I did no wrong.”