A Florida man, 34-year-old Grant Hagood-James, is accused of carjacking a Good Samaritan who stopped after he waved him down for a ride.
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According to a release issued by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office (VSO), the incident occurred on Monday, October 6. At around 9 p.m., the victim stopped on South Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores after Hagood-James reportedly waved him down and asked for a ride.
However, shortly after, Hagood-James allegedly pulled out a gun and ordered the man to exit his vehicle before driving off with it.
The victim, identified only as Ryan, spoke with WESH and said that Hagood-James was “sketchy” from the get-go. After he asked for a ride, Ryan refused and started to pull forward. However, the victim soon noticed that Hagood-James was allegedly pointing a gun at him.
“I realized, you know, my life is in danger right now. I probably shouldn’t fight this,” Ryan told the outlet.
Without his car, Ryan flagged down the next car he found. Fortunately, the driver stopped, and he was able to call 911 and report the carjacking.
Alleged Carjacker Arrested
As Ryan reported the incident, authorities had learned from a Port Orange restaurant that a man, later identified as Hagood-James, had allegedly swam up the deck of the restaurant. He is accused of running through the establishment, throwing away his shirt, and then jumping into the Halifax River.
While he hid out in mangroves, VSO searched for him using K9 units, drones, and boats, the sheriff’s office said. With a multi-agency effort, Grant Hagood-James was successfully located and arrested.
Ryan’s vehicle, meanwhile, was found on Shamrock Drive in Port Orange. Close the vehicle, the VCO said, was the suspect’s gun.
Hagood-James was charged wtih armed carjacking and is being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail. As per Law & Crime, his next court appearance is scheduled for October 14.
Ryan told WESH that he will think twice before he acts as the Good Samaritan in the future.
“It depends, because thankfully the next person stopped for me when I needed help,” he said. “But I’ll definitely be a little more cautious next time.”