A Tampa father is thankful to be alive after he was almost killed during a carjacking.
Edgardo Cruz is a mechanic at Tito’s Tires and Auto Center off of Waters Avenue. He took a client’s car to get gas when two men approached.
“I was inside paying and I was waiting for my receipt and that’s when I (saw) the guys coming up, covering their faces and running towards the car,” Cruz said.
“I just ran out there and grabbed the garbage can and threw it at the car. Basically he started the car and hit me with the car so I jumped on the hood and then he took off with me. I figured if I don’t jump on the hood he might run over me or something so that’s what I had to do,” he added.
Investigators say it happened at 2:24 p.m. on May 19 at the Sunoco gas station at 1401 Waters Avenue W.
Surveillance video caught the carjacking on tape. Cruz was hanging onto the hood of the car for several yards before the thief slammed on the brakes and he fell off. The video shows the thief then picking up a second man and taking off.
“All I wanted to do was try to scare them away from the car and it didn’t work that way. We go there all the time; we’ve never had an issue like that. I mean I’ve lived in Tampa over 25 years and I’ve never had an issue,” Cruz said.
The suspects are still on the run and the car, a 2008 dark gray Chevrolet Malibu bearing FL temporary tag BJQ8040, is still missing.
“I think I would’ve done the same thing again, honestly,” Cruz added.
Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of up to $3,000 for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the unknown suspects in this case.
Anyone with any information regarding this case and who wants to be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com, text CSTB plus your tip to 274637 (CRIMES) or send a mobile tip using our new TipSubmit Mobile application, which is a free download for iPhones, iPads, and Droids. (Text STOP to 274637 to cancel. Text HELP to 274637 for help. Msg & Data Rates May Apply.)
Copyright 2015 WFLA. All rights reserved.?