Nothing screams “right place at the right time” as much as a police cruiser pulling up right when a wanted suspect was exiting his place of refuge, a trash can. A sanitation worker in Ohio literally helped the police as he discovered a suspect who had fled a traffic stop in one of the trash cans.
In an almost hilarious clip from the police cruiser’s dashcam, posted on X, the sanitation worker could be seen going about his work as he would on any random day. He wheeled a trash can towards the sanitation vehicle when it suddenly flung open. The heroic sanitation worker immediately ran back, jumping and pointing at the trash can. As the police cruiser drove closer, the suspect jumped out and began to run. Not missing a beat, the police officer alighted and chased after him.
According to ABC 13 News, the suspect, who was nicknamed “Oscar the Grouch,” was identified as Jonathan McMillan, 27. McMillan had fled from a traffic stop in Huber Heights. The Huber Heights Police Department appreciated the officer who finally apprehended the suspect. “Thanks to the impressive athletic ability and swift response of our very own Officer Perez, the suspect was safely apprehended,” they wrote in a social media post.
Many netizens found the entire scenario amusing. “Can’t make this up. Definitely not the clean getaway he had in mind,” one joked. “Bro jumped out of that trash can so smooth tho. Definitely not his first time lol,” another noted.
“He would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for you meddling sanitation workers 😂,” one user jested. “This guy is lucky that the truck doesn’t have that automatic arm to grab the bin,” another said. “Bro really tried to take ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ to a whole new felony level, lmao 😂😂😂,” someone else joked. “Imagine running from the cops, hiding in a garbage bin, thinking you’re safe only to realize it’s garbage collection day 😂,” a user wrote.
On the other hand, a couple of users were pleased by the sanitation worker’s actions. “This is a great example of how everyday citizens can make a difference. The sanitation worker’s discovery and Officer Perez’s swift response made the community safer. It’s a bizarre story, but the outcome is exactly what we need,” one wrote. “This is a perfect example of everyday heroes making a huge difference,” a second user noted. “Huge respect to the sanitation worker – awareness like that can save lives,” another one wrote.
