A delivery driver's sharp eye recently helped Texas police break up a hostage drama before it could escalate, authorities say. The driver grew suspicious after being asked to deliver an odd collection of items—including trash bags, zip ties, a hatchet, and bleach, according to witnesses—to a room at a local motel in Sweetwater, per the Guardian. Trusting his instincts, the driver alerted police, setting off a chain of events that ended with no injuries.
When officers arrived, they found 42-year-old Neil Cooper barricaded inside, allegedly armed and refusing to come out, per a release from the Sweetwater Police Department. Police had been tipped off that someone might be held hostage inside. The standoff ended after a crisis negotiator got involved—the person believed to be the hostage managed to escape, and Cooper surrendered peacefully.
Cooper now faces charges of aggravated kidnapping and drug-related offenses. The would-be hostage didn't walk away unscathed either, landing in custody for initially withholding their identity, as well as an outstanding drug warrant. Authorities haven't named that person. While early social media posts and news reports credited a DoorDash driver with thwarting the crime, the company later clarified the driver wasn't working for them, despite bystander reports. Still, the local community praised the driver's alertness, with one commenter noting, "Good job [delivery] person for paying attention to the small details!!"
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