In a somewhat bizarre scenario, a man has been charged with several crimes, including armed carjacking, because he allegedly felt he had no other way to transport his pregnant girlfriend to a hospital other than to seize another driver and his vehicle for help, as reported by the Orlando Sentinel.
Deltona resident, R.B., 31, was arrested in the hospital's parking lot. Along with carjacking, R.B. was also charged with fleeing a law-enforcement officer and driving with a suspended license.
A representative from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office reported that R.B. originally traveled with his pregnant girlfriend in her car. The car ran out of gas and the two struck out on foot – for many miles. The girlfriend, 22, began to complain that she was dehydrated and had begun to bleed.
At that point R.B. picked up his girlfriend, carried her in his arms, and abruptly stopped a Buick that was coming toward them on the same road and demanded help.
The driver, 20, refused to take the pair to a hospital. R.B. grew angry and proceeded to threaten the driver with a gun if he didn't drive them. The driver let them in his car.
On the route they were forced to stop for a red light. R.B. demanded that the driver go through the intersection and not wait for the light to turn green. The driver, again, attempted to refuse R.B.'s demands.
R.B. then allegedly pressed the driver up into his steering wheel, and told him to get out of the car or he would shoot him. The driver then exited the vehicle.
At this point police witnessed R.B. swerving through lanes and making illegal passing maneuvers. When officers tried to pull him over, he continued instead to drive, finally reaching the hospital's parking lot.
R.B. attempted to continue to evade officers – he drove the Buick in circles until the officers were able to corner him.
During his arrest R.B. was found to have two working cellular phones on him – officers made the assumption that help could have been called. As officers later retraced the miles that the couple walked, they learned that the two walked right past a fire station – another assumption was made that the couple could have summoned help at the station.
Officers reported that both R.B. and the woman were not hurt.
The woman, described as homeless, was checked into the hospital. She has not returned a phone call from the press for comment. No news is available on the child's birth.
No weapons were found in the Buick or on R.B. The victim confirmed that he never saw a gun. However, the charge of armed carjacking remains.
R.B. has a criminal history that includes over two-dozen arrests. He has been sentenced for cocaine possession, burglary, domestic violence, aggravated assault, being a hit-and-run driver and prowling. This current arrests mark his third for 2012.
Any criminal charges, no matter what circumstances surround your arrest, require that you contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Get to work now planning your defense!
