Suspect who tried stealing landscaping trailer pretended to be asleep during standoff, HPD says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A woman who says she lives in a Houston apartment that was the scene of a SWAT situation Monday spoke only on 13.

The Houston Police Department's SWAT team was called at about 3:21 p.m. Monday to the Meadowridge Condominiums in the 3900 block of Woodchase Drive, off of Westpark Drive.

Jaylcia Mack told Eyewitness News she was getting home from work when she pulled up and saw the police activity. After looking around for a few minutes, Mack realized all police efforts were focused on her front door.

She was met with police officers, K-9's, and a bomb squad.

"I just couldn't figure out what was going on," Mack said.

Houston police say 31-year-old Samuel Babasola Johnson-Awosanya tried to hook up a landscaping trailer to his car and drive off with it. He didn't make it far.

"The owners of the trailer detained him, held him down, and tried to hold him for police," Crag Bellamy with HPD said.

We're told Awosanya got away and ran into the unit he shares with his mother and Mack. His mother eventually came out, but we're told she refused to leave. Police said they carried her down the stairs and Awosanya came out claiming he had been asleep.

Awosanya was arrested and now faces charges of felony theft and felony evading arrest. His mother will not be charged. Officers carried her out after she refused to leave.

"I instantly knew something was up because, before I got here, I was calling their phones and no one was answering. I was really confused and honestly it was nothing but God that I was not here," Mack said.

Mack said she lives with Awosanya's mother to help her at home. She said they've been working to get Awosanya on the right path but is shocked to hear his mother put up any sort of fight.

"It's crazy to walk into something that you don't know what is going on, and you can't rectify what is going on, and you just have to keep it pushing," Mack said.

She also told us the mother had her knee replaced recently and was taken to the hospital.

SEE ALSO: Attempted robbery suspect barricaded for hours was sleeping as SWAT negotiated, HPD says

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