Crime & Public Safety
Woman allegedly punched, car stolen at West Palm Beach gas station; suspect found after crash
West Palm Beach police say a woman was punched multiple times and her vehicle taken from a Raceway gas station on Haverhill Road after she refused a demand for $20. Deputies responded shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday following a 911 call reporting the assault and vehicle theft, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
The report states the woman was seated in her car when a man approached, asked about her children, and demanded $20. After she said she did not have the money, the suspect allegedly struck her in the face several times. The victim ran into the gas station for help while the suspect drove away in her white 2020 Nissan Pathfinder with her cellphone and wallet still inside, the report says.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage they say showed the incident, and the victim later identified the suspect from a booking photograph, telling deputies she knew him from a previous relationship. Early the next morning, deputies located the Pathfinder crashed and unoccupied near Fourth Street and Douglas Avenue in West Palm Beach.
The man was taken into custody, transported to Good Samaritan Free Standing Hospital for medical clearance, and then booked into the Palm Beach County Jail, the arrest report says. The account above reflects allegations documented by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and West Palm Beach police; the record notes the vehicle was recovered and the suspect detained, with the case in the custody of local law enforcement.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.