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Navy veteran escapes carjacking, suspects arrested
A Central Florida man is scraped and bruised after he was the victim of a carjacking, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
ORLANDO, Fla. - A Central Florida man is scraped and bruised after he was the victim of a carjacking, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Rodney Jones, who served in the U.S. Navy, was carjacked on Sunday night. Thieves took off with his 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan.
According to the sheriff's office, it happened near Old Winter Garden Road and Ferguson Drive. Jones said it was random yet coordinated because two men attacked him from two sides.
James Bell and Lavon McWhite were arrested and charged with aggravated battery and carjacking.
"I thought that they were trying to kill me," Jones said.
Jones told deputies and FOX 35 News he was dragged out of the minivan and beaten.
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"They [were] punching me, kicking me and saying to put me back into the vehicle," Jones said.
Jones said he was only able to escape after sticking his fingers into one of the attackers' eyes.
"I knew if they [put me back in the van] I probably wouldn’t be coming back," Jones said.
Surveillance video from a nearby gas station shows a shoeless and shirtless Jones shortly after the struggle. He looks out of breath as he asks the clerk to borrow his phone to call 911.
Jones got his van back after paying $200 to the towing company. He said he plans on suing the suspects for the money.
Jones also said he plans to fix the air conditioning so he won't have to drive with his windows down.