Palm City, FL—Police in Palm City reported that a family returning from a trip to Disney World was carjacked at a gas station on their way home.
The suspect drove off in their vehicle, taking two passengers with him, including an infant and the family’s grandmother.
He was later arrested and charged with carjacking
Authorities indicated that the family had stopped at a Mobil Gas station near the entrance to the Florida Turnpike when “an armed suspect walked up to the car and violently attacked the female driver,” the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said.
Watch the video here:
The police later arrested assailant, Jaquay Marlon Jean.
The video allegedly shows Jaquay approach the 2011 Acura that Jaime Sagona, 42 was driving. Also in her car was her 27-year-old brother, her five-month-old son, and her mother, Joanne Sagona, 66.
Jaquay Jean opened the door of the car and pointed a gun in Jaime’s face.
The two began to struggle, pushing and pulling at each other.
Jaime Sagona struggled violently until Jean pulled her out of her car.
Her brother got out to try to help her and stop Jean, but due to a medical condition, was unable to stop Jean, either.
After Jean shoved Jaime out of the car, she kept trying to get back into the car, presumably to protect her baby and her mother.
But Jean eventually shoved Jaime to the ground, and when she tried to get back into the car one last time, he drove off, dragging her several feet.
Sheriff Snyder commented on her bravery, “She did not give up. She did not stop fighting until he pushed her. That was a mama bear.”
Still, her baby and her mother were in the car.
WATCH: A family coming home from Disney World had their car violently stolen and their infant child kidnapped when they stopped at a gas station.
Read more: https://t.co/jdVmvZHf5e pic.twitter.com/NCNWH2Eguc— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) September 30, 2019
The Story Wasn’t Over Yet
The police report chronicles what happened next. “I was like, ‘How do I survive?’” Joanne Sagona, told reporters after the fact. “I said, ‘OK, please pull over. Stop. I will take the baby, get out and you can keep going.'”
Jaquay Jean pulled over about a mile away and left the baby and Joanne on the side of the road. As soon as he was gone, Joanne called 911. Police worked through the night to identify and track the man. Jean was arrested Monday in North Miami. He had gotten rid of the Acura by then.
Sheriff Snyder didn’t see much for Jean to be happy about. “He’s got two life felonies, kidnapping and armed carjacking. He does face life in prison,” Snyder said at a news conference Monday.
Joanne Sagona said the family was relieved and felt fortunate after the terrible ordeal.
“You can recover from that,” Joanna Sagona said. “You don’t recover from a gunshot right in the face, 2 inches away. So we got lucky.”
This family did get lucky.
Hopefully they have a friend who can take them to buy a gun, and train them all how to use it. Medical condition or not, most people can pull a trigger.
And by the looks of that Mama Bear, she has all the grit she needs to defend her family.
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