A man went to a Florida store for a job interview. Then came the chaos, cops say
A Florida man who started out his day looking for work ended up behind bars, authorities say.
According to an arrest report from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the 23-year-old went to a Pilot Travel Center in Lake Wales for a job interview, but is now accused of stealing a vehicle from outside the business.
At around 4:30 p.m. Friday, deputies responded to the convenience store and spoke with the manager who said it was unclear how the suspect arrived for the appointment. He said he advised the potential employee that no one was there to conduct the interview and was told to come back on Monday.
Deputies also spoke with the victim whose white 2022 Cadillac XT4 SUV was taken. He said he was driving from West Palm Beach to Trinity in Pasco County for “a weekend getaway” and stopped at the Pilot to grab snacks, including chocolate.
After purchasing the items and exiting the store, he remembered that he needed to check some lottery tickets. He put the snacks in his vehicle, and turned the engine on because he “did not want the chocolate to melt,” says the affidavit.
The victim believed that he had locked the car but when he returned, saw someone inside. He shouted at the suspect, and stood in front of the hood, “pleading” with him to get out. The man ignored the request, shifted into drive and attempted to strike the owner, who escaped being hit.
The SUV then took off, but because it was outfitted with remote OnStar technology, its every move was tracked, the report says.
Deputies chased after the Winter Haven resident, who was headed toward Interstate 4 at speeds of up to 100 mph in the right-hand emergency lane, says the report.
After about 20 minutes, OnStar switched off the engine, near Davenport, about 20 miles away. The driver almost immediately lost control and crashed into a guard rail, causing the SUV to flip over “multiple times,” landing upside down. The man, only slightly injured, was able to get out of the car and began running into the woods, but was detained after a brief struggle.
He was booked on various charges, including grand theft auto and resisting arrest. Deputies also recovered a handgun in the car, so he was also charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. No bail was set.
