SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Surveillance video released by a Connecticut gas station shows what led up to a Springfield man’s arrest Wednesday morning.
Thirty-two year-old Juan Laporte is facing multiple charges in connection with the incident, including carjacking and assault.
Springfield man arrested in CT after crash, attempted carjackings
Laporte can first be seen in the video tackling a woman to the ground. According to Wallingford Police Sgt. David Blythe, that was in an attempt to steal her keys. It was allegedly the same woman who stopped to help him after he had been involved in a crash nearby, on I-91.
A man can then be seen stepping in to help. Laporte moves on to another car, however, and drives away while its owner is pumping gas. The owner of the car tries to stop him, and can be seen hanging out the open driver’s side door as Laporte drives in and out of the gas station parking lot. Another man who tried to intervene got into the passenger’s side of the car, but fell out.
Blythe said Laporte eventually crashed the car and tried to run away. Three men were able to catch him and hold onto him until officers got there.
Wallingford police say multiple people involved in the incident suffered minor injuries, but are expected to be okay.