A Los Angeles man learned that sometimes stopping to help a stranded driver can be a dangerous decision after he ended up being dragged by his own car when it was carjacked.
You always have to be aware of your surroundings. There are terrible people who target Good Samaritans, so it’s imperative that steps are taken to protect yourself in every circumstance.
Good Samaritan Stops to Help
The man was likely not thinking about taking these measures when he saw a car on the side of the road with a flat tire. He just wanted to help.
He pulled over and got out of his car. That’s when police say 30-year-old Sergio Fernandez jumped in the Good Samaritan’s car and started driving off.
The man grabbed onto the car trying to stop it. His steel toe boots actually created sparks on the road as the car went up to 35-miles-per-hour while he was being dragged.
Reed Pellerin captured it on video and called 911. He reports the man reached through the back window to grab onto the seat as his car was being stolen.
Hanging on During Carjacking
“Hear some arguing going on behind me in the lane over, so I look back, I can’t quite tell what’s going on. I could tell a couple of people are out of their car, and the next thing I know the guy is just flying past me — the thief in the vehicle and the owner hanging out of the vehicle,” Pellerin said.
The Good Samaritan was dragged 3/4 of a mile before finally letting go of the car after losing his grip.
“He was panicked. He was like adrenaline pumping. He was just looking for his glasses. He was moving around. I mean, his face was all bloody,” the witness said.
Protect Yourself First
The man was so focused on helping the stranded driver that he left his keys in the ignition, which must have felt like a golden opportunity for Fernandez to steal the car.
Video of this dramatic carjacking is below.
If you are going to stop to help a stranger on the road, you have to protect yourself. That starts with removing the keys from the ignition so this doesn’t happen to you. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your life or car to help someone else.
There are many people looking to harm drivers. Click here to see what to do if you find a coin jammed in your door.
Source: ABC 7