'Good Samaritan' hospitalized after intervening on attack against 64-year-old woman: Police

A man police are calling a "Good Samaritan" was beaten unconscious when he intervened on an attack of a 64-year-old woman, police say.

The incident took place Saturday afternoon at a gas station in Haines City, Florida between Orlando and Lakeland, according to a release from Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Police say Jose Chaidez, 35, used a butcher knife to slap the woman identified as his ex-girlfriend and then attempted to drag her out of the store by her hair. That's when police say the "Good Samaritan" stepped in.

"A 43-year-old Haines City man saw the violence occurring and stepped forward in an attempt to stop the man from beating the woman and taking the woman from the store," the release stated. "Chaidez overpowered the man and repeatedly struck him in the head while he laid unconscious on the floor."

The male beating victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. Chaidez left the store after a brief altercation with another man who was not seriously injured.

Polk County Sheriff's Office said that as of Wednesday, the hospitalized male victim is still in critical condition, but stable. Chaidez was arrested in Lake County Wednesday morning. He will need to be transferred to Polk County before charges, if any, can be brought against him, sheriff's spokesperson Brian Bruchey said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY.

Video shows the moment the 'Good Samaritan' stepped in

Edited surveillance video from the convenience store released by police shows clips of several altercations in the store.

At one point, Chaidez appears in front of the register, throwing something at the person standing behind the counter. In another clip, he walks behind the counter and appears to swing a knife with the flat side facing the victim.

Another clip shows the moment the "Good Samaritan" stepped in. The two tussle before falling over, with Chaidez on top swinging his arm down The man lays motionless as Chaidez walks away.

Police were initially asking for the public's help in locating the man. “We need to locate this very violent man and put him in jail where he belongs," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. "Anyone who would beat up a 64-year-old woman and then ruthlessly beat up a man who tried to help a woman in distress, is a menace and needs to be locked up."

Bruchey did not have an estimated timeline for when Chaidez would be transferred to Polk County to assess potential charges.