Man who led police on chase accused of attempted carjackings
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A man was charged with several felonies after he attempted multiple carjackings on Tuesday, according to court documents.
Josue Lopez, 30, was charged with vehicle hijacking, two counts of attempts child kidnapping, first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, third-degree assault, resisting arrest and two misdemeanors: operating a vehicle without a valid license and third-degree attempted kidnapping. Casenet indicates Lopez is from Camdenton, but Boone County Jail records say he is from Mexico, Missouri.
Lopez is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A mugshot was not available Wednesday afternoon.
According to one of the probable cause statements filed, a victim stated Lopez walked up to his vehicle and tapped the driver side window. Lopez allegedly opened the door, pulled the victim from the vehicle and drug him to the middle of the parking, the statement says. The victim then allegedly told law enforcement that Lopez punched him in his face several times. The victim then told police that Lopez got into the driver’s seat of the vehicle and closed the door, the statement says.
A witness heard yelling and allegedly told law enforcement that he saw the victim bleeding from his face. The witness allegedly then went to his vehicle, grabbed his gun, walked up to Lopez and told him to leave, the statement says.
Video footage viewed by police allegedly shows Lopez pulling the victim from a white Honda, drag him behind the vehicle and hit him several times, court documents say. The vide also shows the witness hold a gun in the air while walking up to Lopez, the statements says. The video shows Lopez get out of the vehicle and walk away towards another white car out of camera view, the statement says.
Another probable cause statement says police responded to a Break Time location in Columbia on Tuesday for an attempted carjacking. The statement says a woman got out of her vehicle to go into the store and a man who was in a white car got out of his vehicle and into the driver side of the woman’s.
A passenger in the vehicle allegedly heard the man say “we’re leaving” and attempted to drive away, the statement says.
A woman in the car allegedly told law enforcement that she grabbed an object off the floor and tried to hit Lopez, but he got out of the car when he saw the object, the statement says. The complaint filed says multiple children were in the vehicle.
Police tried to conduct a traffic stop on Lopez’s vehicle near the intersection of East Broadway and Trimble Road, but he kept driving and a chase ensued until Lopez crashed into a fence in Jefferson City, the statement says.
Victims were able to identify Lopez later at the Columbia Police Department, the statement says.
