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Without so much as a second thought, the 43-year-old Lancaster man left his wife and two children inside the restaurant, went outside and jumped into his van.
After following the man through the parking lot of Red Rose Commons and watching him target other vehicles, Kisela was able to bump the man's bike with his van.
The man began to run but was tackled by Kisela and another bystander. Kisela pulled the man's hands behind his back and sat on him until police arrived.
For his actions, Kisela was honored Tuesday night at a meeting of City Council with a commendation from the Lancaster City Bureau of Police.
Also awarded commendations for their actions that day were Neal Roth of Ephrata, Carl Frymoyer of Lititz and Travis Greenwalt of Landisville. They were unable to attend Tuesday's meeting.
"This kind of action by a citizen just doesn't happen every day," police Chief Keith Sadler said in presenting the citation. "It's not an easy decision to get involved."
Without the actions of the four men, the suspect most likely never would have been caught, Sadler said after the meeting."These guys strike quickly and flee the scene," Sadler said. "They're tough to catch if they're not captured immediately."
Carlos Vasquez-Galarza was charged with theft from a motor vehicle, possession of instruments of crime and criminal mischief. Vasquez-Galarza, who was on probation, was committed to Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Kisela, a tow-truck driver for Lancaster Fleet and Auto, said he never really thought about what he was doing and that he wasn't scared.
"I did what I felt I needed to do," Kisela, who admitted to being a little nervous Tuesday night after the meeting. "The adrenaline kicks in and you just go."
Kisela said his wife and children, who were cheering as their dad helped apprehend the suspect, are very proud of him.
When asked why he didn't simply call 911, Kisela responded, "That's too easy. I could get there much quicker. ... I just did my part. That's all."
E-mail: jtodd@lnpnews.com
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