Seattle Police Searching for Violent Carjacking Suspect

A newspaper deliveryman was hit over the head with a champagne bottle on June 20^th at 42^nd Avenue SW & SW Dakota Street in West Seattle. According to police records, the deliveryman was crossing the street to deliver newspapers when he was hit over the head with a champagne bottle. The suspect then took the victim’s keys and began driving off in the victim’s vehicle. The driver’s side window of the victim’s vehicle was down, and the victim ran after the vehicle, grabbing onto the seatbelt strap. He was dragged for several hundred feet before being thrown to the ground when the suspect reached a traffic circle. The victim suffered scrapes to his elbows, hands, and knees, and a cut on his head, but no life-threatening injuries.

The suspect then headed eastbound in the victim’s vehicle on SW Andover Street. The vehicle was later found at the Taco Time at Avalon and 35^th Avenue. The cell phone and keys belonging to the victim were missing.

A surveillance video of the suspect placed him in the 3700 block of California Avenue approximately half an hour prior to the attack. In the video, the suspect seems inebriated and appeared to be waiting on a bus.

The suspect has not yet been located but is described as being in his mid-twenties, about six feet tall, 200 pounds, with facial hair. At the time of the attack, the suspect was wearing a black baseball cap and a black sweatshirt.

The Crime of Carjacking in the State of Washington

Although the state of Washington does not specifically address the crime of carjacking, this behavior is prosecuted as Robbery—forcibly taking property (in this case, a vehicle) from its owner. Robbery is committed when an individual illegally takes the property of another, in that person's presence, and against the owner's will. The crime of Robbery is accomplished through the immediate threat of injury, violence, or force.

In order to prevent any resistance from the owner of the property or as a method of obtaining or retaining possession of the stolen property, force or fear must have been used during the taking of the property. In virtually every case, the crime of Robbery requires an injured, harmed, or threatened victim. The crime of Robbery is a felony in the state of Washington. Three key elements must be present for charges of Robbery in the state of Washington to stand. These elements include:

• The defendant trespassed and took money or property from another person without that person’s consent, and with an intent to permanently deprive the person of the money or property;
• There must have been violence or a threat of violence, and
• The taking of the money or property from the victim must have accomplished in the victim’s presence.

If the suspect was armed with a deadly weapon, inflicted bodily injury on the victim, or commits the crime of robbery against a financial institution, the charge will be Robbery in the First Degree, a Class A felony. If no weapon was used in the commission of the robbery, no one is injured, and the act was not committed against a financial institution, the charge will be Robbery in the Second Degree, a Class B felony. Related Robbery charges include Grand Theft, Petty Theft, Shoplifting, Armed Robbery, and Aggravated Robbery.

Legal Consequences of Carjacking

In the case of Carjacking, if a weapon was used or the owner of the vehicle was harmed, the carjacker will be charged with Robbery in the First Degree. If no weapon was used and the owner of the vehicle was not injured, the carjacker will be charged with Robbery in the Second Degree. A Class A felony is punishable by up to life in prison and fines as large as $50,000. A Class B felony is punishable by up to ten years in prison and fines as large as $20,000.

If you have been charged with Carjacking, it is extremely important that you contact an experienced Seattle criminal defense attorney as quickly as possible to ensure your rights and your future are properly protected.

Getting Help From Seattle Criminal Defense Attorneys at Lewis & Laws, PLLC

If you are charged with robbery, burglary, or any property crime in Seattle, it is imperative that you contact an experienced Seattle criminal defense attorney as quickly as possible to ensure your rights and your future are protected. Robbery s a very serious offense that could result in significant time in prison and a conviction can adversely affect your entire life.

The experienced lawyers at Lewis & Laws, PLLC have successfully defended clients in Seattle, Bellevue, and Kirkland. Contact us today at 206.209.0608 or fill out our online contact form.