The father flagged the Deputy down, saying his truck was stolen with his children still inside. Deputy Pazmino-Alvarez was working a separate call when he heard a plea that shocked him.
For any law enforcement officer, a carjacking is a high-risk call. For a Hillsborough County deputy, stopping a man behind the wheel of a stolen truck with two children inside was a tense, fast-moving situation, but keeping everyone calm was crucial.
Kevin Smith, 37, has been charged with kidnapping after he stole a pickup truck in which two children were still in the back. Deputy Jonathan Pazmino Alvarez pursued the truck and rescued the kids.