WEST POINT, Ga. -- Police pulled over a Georgia mother on her way to volunteer at a summer feeding program for children -- but the traffic stop turned out to be an elaborate surprise.
Fresh off the plane from Iraq, and with balloons and roses in hand, Army Staff Sgt. Salomon Robinson had planned it all.
West Point Police Chief Tony Bailey waited for Robinson's mom, Claudette Hutchinson, to leave her apartment, then gave a cue to other officers standing by.
The officers pulled her over and questioned her, asking if she'd just been involved in a hit and run.
"I said 'ma'am, come out, let me show you the damage we're talking about," said Officer Cameron Mitchell. "I found a little scratch on her car and said, 'you see that right there?' They reported there was a little bit of damage.
“Well, that's been there for awhile," Hutchinson replied.
The officer took her driver's license and walked away saying, "my partner is going to bring your license back in just a second."
That's when the magic happened.
Robinson walked up behind his mom, holding the balloons and flowers. When she realized who it was -- she began to scream.
"I'm going to kill him," she said. "He got me good. I'm glad to see him though."
Robinson said he has to go back to Iraq in a couple of weeks.
"This young man coming home, after serving three deployments protecting us and our freedoms, I don't think there was a single request this young man had that we shouldn't make happen," said Bailey.
"It was a great experiment to see her reaction and happiness and joy and tears," said Robinson.
