Staff report

An off-duty firefighter turned law enforcement Good Samaritan on Tuesday evening, nabbing a robbery suspect at Walmart Super Store in Vidor.

Police Chief Rod Carroll said in an issued statement that two women exited the store in the 1300 block of North Main after they were seen shoplifting around 6:36 p.m.

When Walmart’s loss prevention officer attempted to stop the women, one fled the scene in a white Mercedes with paper license plates and the other, Stormie Lee Hernandez, argued with the store employee, insisting she’d stolen nothing.

The suspect assaulted the loss prevention officer with her forearm and elbow, then threw $112.36 worth of make-up and beauty accessories on the ground and ran through the parking lot, Carroll said.

The off-duty firefighter witnessed the assault, gave chase and caught Hernandez, who swung her purse at him, Carroll said. The Good Samaritan, whose actions Carroll lauded, was able to keep the suspect in tow.

Arrested was Stormie Lee Hernandez, 24, of Beaumont. She was charged with second-degree felony robbery. No bond was set Wednesday morning.

Carroll said robbery is punishable by a prison term of 2-20 years.