PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — It’s been four months, and a Palm Beach County deputy is still on the road to recovery after getting stabbed by a robbery suspect back in August.
Deputy Willie Hanks was off-duty picking up his dry cleaning at a laundromat in Greenacres, when he walked in on an armed robbery in progress.
WPTV reporter Michael Hoffman spoke to his fellow deputy and a good Samaritan who jumped in to save Hanks’ life.
“When he walks in, the clerk is going, giving him a sign, because he sees the guy with the knife," said Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. "The guy’s doing an armed robbery, because the woman is giving him the money.”
Hanks, a 22-year veteran of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, intervened. That’s when 73-year-old Glen Gotell is accused of stabbing him, then stealing his patrol car to get away.
“I said, this guy needs help. We need help now. We don't want him to die on us right now here,” Exivania Velliard-Joseph said.
Velliard-Joseph is a nurse who was nearby and rushed to help along with off-duty deputy Age Senat just a few days into training.
“I immediately thought about, you know, lifesaving," Senat said. "So, she held the hands while I was getting my tourniquet from the car. And I’ll cut tourniquet while I’m doing it.”
This month, the sheriff’s office awarded Senat a lifesaving medal and awarded Velliard-Joseph a Samaritan medal for saving Hanks’ life.
“You know, you don't have a lot of time to think, so what you do in training is what you automatically do when you're in a stressful situation,” Bradshaw said. "And you saw some guys and men and women, they didn't even hesitate.”
After a two-hour search investigators said they found Gotell at a public library nearby.
“He was shaving the goatee off and one shirt off, blood all over it, throwing it in the garbage and another shirt on.”
Bradshaw is thankful for the quick arrest.
The sheriff’s office said Hanks was stabbed at least twice, he’s needed multiple surgeries and can’t drive.
However, he is expected to make a full recovery, thanks in no small part to the two heroes and their training.
“I don't regret doing it," Velliard-Joseph said. "If I have to go back on scene to do it again, I will do it.”
Gotell faces seven charges, including attempted first-degree murder with a deadly weapon. He has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court in January.
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