Victim of a carjacking in Dallas says everything happened so fast
A Dallas woman says she spent Friday afternoon at the doctor's office after becoming entangled in a police chase involving a stolen vehicle last week.
Jaquis Rahmad Smith, 23, and 19-year-olds Bryan Quiterioand Madison Deon Jones are each charged in the pursuit Thursday that spanned multiple Gaston County cities and reached speeds of up to 140 mph, according to arrest warrants.
A news release said the pursuit began when officers in Lowell spotted the stolen 2023 Dodge Challenger on Interstate 85.
The Dodge continued onto U.S. 321, eventually crashing near Dallas, the release said.
Officials allege that following the wreck, Quiterio ran to a nearby Ingles grocery store where he was arrested in the parking lot. Smith and Jones, the news release said, ran to an apartment complex and confronted Samantha Hill, 60, as she sat in her vehicle outside her apartment.
The confrontation
Hill said she was getting ready to drive to Walmart for a Sundrop and some lemon pepper chicken when she heard Smith and Jones yelling to get her attention and saw them walking toward her.
"They started screaming, 'Oh my gosh, our brother's had an accident and it was really severe. We need to get to him and we ain't got no way. Please help us,'" Hill recalled Friday morning outside of her apartment.
She said they asked her for a ride, and when she resisted, it did not matter.
“Automatically, they’re in the back seat,” she said. "They're like, 'go,go,go,' and I was literally rolling, you know, a little bit."
Hill said that before she even made it past her apartment building, the police had arrived, blocking the car and ordering the trio out.
The interlopers yelled for Hill to keep driving, but she did not.
"I just put it in park and cut it off with my keys out, and the officer said hands up so that's what I did," Hill said.
When officers instructed the three to lie on the ground, Hill, who has neuropathy, told officers it would be difficult, but she did as she was told.
She was not down long before officers realized she was not involved.
The incident aggravated Hill's condition, which makes even walking difficult, and resulted in the visit to her doctor's office Friday.
“Now, it’s pretty well got worse (after) laying on the cement,” she said.
The ordeal for the Dallas grandmother lasted less than four minutes, and she said she is glad everyone is safe now.
Hill offered advice to other drivers.
“Remember to lock your doors after you pull off,” she said.
Upon Smith's arrest, he was served with Mecklenburg warrants charging him with larceny, fleeing arrest and possession of a stolen vehicle.
In Gaston County, he is charged with larceny, fleeing arrest, exceeding a safe speed, kidnapping, resisting a public officer, possession of a stolen vehicle, and fleeing the scene of an accident.
During his first appearance in court on Friday, Gaston County District Court Judge Craig Collins set Smith's bail at $500,000 secured.
Quiterio and Jones are each charged with misdemeanor resisting a public officer. Bail for each is set at $25,000 secured.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Victim of a carjacking in Dallas says everything happened so fast
