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WEBVTT PHONE, ABOUT THE MOMENTS SOMEARE CALLING HEROIC.NATALIE: A SURVEILLANCE CAMERACAPTURES THE ACTION AS ACUSTOMER AT WENDY'S IN YUBCITY STRIKES AN ARMED WOULD-BEROBBER OVER THE HEAD WITH DINING CHAIR.WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR HEADIN THAT MOMENT?>> I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU TURNTHIS INTO SOMEBODY'S CHRISTMASMEMORIAL.NATALIE: THAT GOOD SAMARITAN ISDANIEL WHO WAS VISITING HISPARENTS IN YUBA CITY FOR THEHOLIDAYS.HE STOPPED BY THIS WENDY'SAROUND 5:30 CHRISTMAS NIGHT.>> I NOTICE THIS GUY WALK IN, HEHAD A PLASTIC BAG ON HIS HEAD.AT FIRST, I THOUGHT IT WAS AGAG.AND THEN I NOTICED HE HAD AKNIFE IN HIS HAND.HE CUT IN FRONT OF THE LINEWALKED UP TO THE WINDOW AND SAIDGIVE ME THE MONEY.>> HE DIDN'T GET THE MONEY HEGOT A CHAIR TO THE BACK OF THEHEAD.NATALIE: ERIKA FARRIS WASWORKING DRIVE-THRU WHEN SHEHEARD THE COMMOTION.>> I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNYBECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW THEDUDE DIDN'T GO DOWN.>> I HIT HIM HARD.I HIT HIM REALLY HARD.I COULD HEAR THE CHAIR CRACK.ALLIE: -- NATALIE: THE SUSPECTSTILL MANAGED TO BOLT OUT THEDOOR TO A WHITE GETAWAY CARWAITING NEARBY.>> HE REGAINED COMPOSURE AND RANFOR THE DOOR AND I CHASED AFTERHIM.>> WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU RANAFTER HIM?>> AS I WENT OUT THE DOOR ISTUMBLED AND FELL, I'M58-YEARS-OLD AND IT'S PROBABLYBEEN 15 YEARS SINCE I HAD TOSPRINT.>> WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE THATIN THE WORLD.

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A would-be robber at a Yuba City Wendy’s was thwarted by a customer who grabbed a chair and smashed it into the robber’s skull, police said Tuesday.The robber, wearing a pillowcase over his head and armed with a kitchen knife, walked into the restaurant around 5:30 p.m. Christmas Day and threatened the cashier, police said. A customer, who would only identify himself as Daniel out of fear his family in Yuba City may be put at risk, grabbed a wooden chair and hit the robber on the back of his head.Police said the robber went down, popped back up and then ran outside to a white sedan with a getaway driver.The robber is still at large and police are asking for the public’s help to find him. KCRA 3’s Natalie Brunell talked to Daniel about how events unfolded during the attempted robbery.Q: What happened at the Wendy’s on Christmas?Daniel: My parents are elderly and I didn’t want them to have to prepare a meal, and I didn’t want to prepare a meal. So, it was decided we would go out and get something to eat. We were just going to go to fast food or something like that, and we just drove around to see what was open, and I got a call from my stepmom saying go to Wendy’s. So, we went to Wendy’s and we ordered. We got our cups for our beverages and placed them on our table, and we sat there waiting for our food. Well, while we were waiting, I notice this guy walk in. He had a plastic bag on his head, a yellow plastic bag -- and I thought that was pretty unusual. At first, I thought it was a gag. But I was thinking to myself, this isn’t the appropriate venue for a gag. And then I noticed he had a knife in his hand. I had my hand on one of those big tall chairs in there, and I kept an eye on him, still thinking this might be a prank. Well, he cut in front of the line, walked up to the window and said give me the money. At that time, I had the chair in both my hands and I had taken about two steps -- and it was coming down on his head!Q: What was going through your head?Daniel: I’m not going to let you turn this into somebody’s Christmas memorial.Q: What happened when you hit him?Daniel: Oh, I hit him on the back of the head. He dropped his head about four inches and held it there for about two seconds. He regained his composure, turned and looked at me and then ran for the door.Q: Did you think you were going to knock him out?Daniel: Ya, I thought I was going to knock him out. I was really surprised. I hit him hard, I hit him really hard. I could hear the chair crack. Q: You didn’t see his face?Daniel: No. He still had the plastic bag on him. It was a single-use plastic bag. Q: Did you feel like it was your duty to help the other customers?Daniel: My intent was to bring him to his knees. I didn’t want him to hurt anybody. Q: What were the other customers’ reactions?Daniel: Their eyes were really big, and they were smiling at me. The employees were bewildered. Q: What happened when you ran after him?Daniel: As I went out the door, I stumbled and fell. I’m 58 years old and it’s probably been maybe 15 years since I had to sprint, ha. But, I went down and when I looked up, he was across the street. He had taken the plastic bag off his head and he was feeling for the wound. Q: And he got just away?Daniel: I didn’t see his getaway. I just chased him out the door. And once he was gone, all my concern for everybody inside (the Wendy's), that was gone too.