Former Marine stops a suspect who took his mom’s purse

A 19-year-old southeast Missouri man is facing a felony robbery charge after police say he tried to steal a woman’s purse at a Walmart parking lot but was chased down by the victim’s son, a former Marine Corps military policeman.

The Daily American Republic reports Donald Miller saw his mother struggling with a man trying to steal her purse outside the Poplar Bluff Walmart on Monday night.

Miller says his mother fell down and the man took off with her purse. Miller gave chase and caught him near a restaurant, where he held the man down until police arrived.

Tyler Maxfield of Poplar Bluff was charged with second-degree robbery and has pleaded not guilty. His public defender said Thursday that Maxfield is presumed innocent and declined to comment further.