Suspect Told A 10-Year-Old To Get Out Of The Car He Was Trying To Steal. As She Ran, He Hit Her With The Vehicle.
Aug. 29 2022, Published 2:07 p.m. ET
A man hit a 10-year-old child with the car he was trying to steal, according to a report.
The suspect, Hector Emmanuel Gomez Jimenez, was arrested in recent days in St. Petersburg, Florida, according to FOX 13.
Investigators said a woman got out of her car on 34th Street North but left it running, according to Fox 13. Jimenez then got in the car and tried to steal it, police said.
As he started to back up, he saw the child in the back seat, according to the report. Jimenez grabbed the girl by the shirt and told her to get out of the vehicle.
The child left the car and ran behind that car to escape, according to the report. That is when he reversed the vehicle into her.
The incident was caught on camera, the report noted. When Jimenez was arrested, he was wearing a pair of shoes similar to the suspect. He denied any involvement in the event.
Police charged the suspect with aggravated child abuse and battery with a deadly weapon.