VAN NUYS : Hero’s Chase, Capture of Suspect Honored

When John Atzinger was awakened by a woman’s scream on the night of Sept. 23, 1992, he had no idea what time it was--except that it was time for action.

“I’ve been jumped,” Atzinger, 23, of Van Nuys, said Monday. “I’ve had guns pulled on me. I’ve been robbed. Most of the times, there’s nothing you can do about it. This time I thought there was something I could do about it.”

Wasting no time to dress, Atzinger ran outside to a restaurant on Van Nuys Boulevard to find a woman who had been robbed of her purse and briefcase. His half-naked chase and capture of the suspect that night earned him one of nine Courageous Citizens Awards given Friday by Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti.

“We feel its very important today, when heroes are hard to come by, to honor them,” said Jerri Patchett, director of crime prevention and youth services for the district attorney’s office.

But Atzinger does not fancy himself a hero.

“When it was happening, an award was not on my mind,” Atzinger said. “All I was trying to do was help a lady in distress.”

Atzinger drove around the neighborhood with the woman in his car, searching for the robber. When she spotted him, Atzinger, barefoot and topless, gave chase. He trapped Laurence Monet, 28, on a fence and held him until police arrived.

Monet was arrested and later pleaded guilty to robbery. On Oct. 28, he was sentenced to five years and eight months in state prison.

Thinking back on that night, Atzinger wondered Monday if he was too groggy to realize the danger.

“I don’t think it was something that was very smart,” Atzinger said. “I don’t think it’s worth killing yourself.”

But Atzinger would not be surprised if it happened again.

“When problems happen, I’ve got a way of getting involved,” Atzinger said.