Plumber who tried to save Seattle carjacking victim speaks

Plumber who 'picked up bat' to save carjacking victim speaks

The plumber who stepped in to try to save a local dog walker from a carjacker by smashing out the suspect's windows is speaking out about his efforts, saying he hopes others "would have done the same."

SEATTLE - The plumber who stepped in to try to save a local dog walker from a carjacker by smashing out the suspect's windows is speaking out about his efforts.

Damon Koler grabbed a bat and started swinging after he saw Ruth Dalton, an 80-year-old woman, being attacked.

"It was an incident that should not have happened," said Koler.

Dalton, a professional dog walker, died after police say Jahmed Haynes stole her car and ran over her with her own vehicle.

"When things happen like that, you put yourself in a perspective, you can’t help but be personally involved," said Koler.

Koler was on his way to a job site, and threw his plumbing van into park after he saw Dalton and the dogs being attacked in her SUV. He then jumped into action to help.

"As disconnected as we all feel, we are all very connected, and if you don’t lose that, it’s amazing what you can do for your fellow person," said Koler.

Court documents state that Haynes "had a pocketknife in his hand," and witnesses, like Koler, "saw the SUV reversing with Dalton hanging out of the driver’s side of the vehicle."

Koler says Haynes took a swipe at him with a knife as he tried to help Ruth. He ran to grab a bat in his van and slid over the hood, swinging at the SUV, smashing the back window and freeing some of the dogs inside.

"I would hope anyone would do it to be 100% honest," said Koler.

During the struggle, Haynes allegedly backed the SUV over Dalton. An autopsy stated that she had "crushing injuries to her torso."

Court documents state, "the SUV struck two different vehicles before driving away southbound."

Police believe Haynes then drove about 20 minutes south to Brighton Playfield, where he killed Dalton's dog.

Court documents state, "an animal control officer located what appeared to be blood, fur and/or hair, and bone present around the recycling bin that appeared consistent with a dog having been killed at that location." The dog was found with "blunt force injuries as well as multiple stab-like wounds."

A witness told police they'd seen a man near the recycling bin with a prosthetic leg. 911 calls indicate that the police had a good idea what Haynes looked like after that.

"We don’t have a clothing description, just that he was wearing pants, he was wearing a prosthetic leg," said a dispatcher. "He has two large cuts on his hands, left hand, and it’s swollen."

New details about carjacking suspect's criminal past

Jahmed Haynes, the man accused of killing an 80-year-old woman in a Seattle carjacking, has eight prior felonies and a history of mental health struggles.

Police later ran prints on the bin, according to court documents, identifying Haynes, leading to an arrest. A judge found probable cause to move the case forward Thursday.

Koler says the company he runs was inherited from a man that had cancer. He said the bat belonged to that man, the van's former owner, and he had just kept it in the van.

"It was in my vehicle, there was a reason it was in there honestly, things happen in mysterious ways," said Koler.

Koler is modest about the role he played in helping to get justice for Dalton. He says he doesn't feel like a hero.

"Not at all. Not at all. Like I said, I hope anyone would have done the exact same thing I did," he said.

Koler says he worked with police on a sketch immediately after the attack. He's planning to take another day off Friday and is hoping to eventually get his friend's old bat back after police complete the investigation.