ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – A Jacksonville woman accused of trying to carjack an elderly couple in Ormond Beach was arrested after police arrived to find one of the victims holding onto her leg, according to a news release.
Marvette Perry, 36, faces charges of carjacking, burglary with assault or battery, battery on a person 65 years of age or older and resisting an officer without violence, records show.
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Officers responded to a reported vehicle theft around 10:50 a.m. Saturday at an Exxon gas station along North U.S. Highway 1, the Ormond Beach Police Department said on social media. At the scene, police said they found one of the SUV’s occupants holding onto Perry’s leg and preventing her escape as an armed good Samaritan stood nearby. The news release states the good Samaritan at one point drew his firearm, yet he put it away once he saw that Perry wasn’t reaching for a weapon and otherwise reminded her that he was armed until officers arrived.
Perry was secured after resisting arrest, police said, adding the owners of the SUV were uninjured.
“Our officer’s quick response, the bravery of the good Samaritan, and the resilience of the elderly couple were instrumental in preventing a potentially dangerous situation from escalating,” Ormond Beach police Chief Robert “Jesse” Godfrey said in a statement.
Perry’s arrest affidavit offers further details of the incident, such as the victims’ account of what happened. The victim who kept Perry in place told police that he had gotten off of Interstate 95 and began to park at the Exxon to use the bathroom when Perry had already begun to open his door. Perry allegedly pushed the victim out of the way and got in the driver’s seat of the SUV, what the victim said prompted him to hold onto Perry’s leg as he believed she intended to steal the vehicle even as his wife was still sitting in the front passenger seat.
The man with the gun also spoke with police, telling them he was pumping gas shortly before the incident. He said he retrieved his firearm because he observed Perry acting “weird” and he soon drew the gun upon seeing Perry run toward the man and attempt to steal his vehicle, the affidavit states.
Perry was being held on no bond as of Sunday morning and her first appearance in court was scheduled for 8:30 a.m., records show.
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