Exclusive: Carjacking Leaves Elderly Victim Shaken Up
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OAKLAND PARK (CBSMiami) – A 76-year-old was walking into a Denny's Easter Sunday when a young guy came up, snatched his keys, and took off with his car—nearly running him over.
The carjacking happened at the Denny's at Commercial Boulevard and Dixie Highway in Oakland Park.
The victim, who spoke with CBS4's Ted Scouten, did not want to be named or have his face shown on camera.
"You certainly don't expect it on Easter Sunday at one o'clock in the afternoon in the bright sunlight in a decent area," the victim told Scouten.
The ordeal began when a young guy walked toward him. The victim still had his keys in his hand.
"He slapped, almost like a judo chop to my left hand, he hit it very hard and he had the keys. I don't think the keys hit the ground and he started running," the victim said.
CLICK HERE to watch Ted Scouten's report
The carjacker took off with the key, ran to the car, jumped in and got ready to speed away. The 76-year-old victim ran after the carjacker.
"I ran after him. By the time I got to the car he was already in it," he said. "He tried to back over me. He hit me with the car."
Several people said the victim got hit. A woman in another car went after the carjacker but could not catch up.
"He was standing behind it. He was trying to stop him from backing out so he was in the car going like this, like 'stop, stop,'" she said.
The victim's car is a black, 4-door, 2011 Hyundai Genesis. He said it all happened so quickly.
"I'm not a small guy. I mean, he had a lot of guts to confront me, I think. Had I thought quicker, I might have caught him," he said.
"I was really surprised and really disgusted that somebody would want to do that to somebody on Easter Sunday," said the woman who tried to help, "being that it's a day of Jesus and it should be more happier things."
The carjacker is now facing several charges.
Anyone with information is urged call Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.