Delivery driver dragged 500 feet during carjacking in Wallingford

WALLINGFORD, CT (WFSB) - A food delivery driver in Wallingford was carjacked and dragged 500 feet, according to police.

Police said the incident began in the Chimney Hill Road area on Tuesday around 4:30 p.m.

A report first signaled a suspicious vehicle in the area.

Officers located the suspicious vehicle, which was identified as an older black Honda Accord with dark tinted windows and a white trash bag covering its registration plate. A driver in it was traveling on Chimney Hill road.

Police said they tried to conduct a car stop, but the driver hit the gas and fled.

Shortly after the attempted car stop, officers said they responded back to the area Chimney Hill Road and Sullivan Avenue for a reported carjacking.

“I’m on Chimney Hill Road and there is a guy on the side of the road, I don’t know if he got thrown out of a car, or what, his sneakers are all off,” said a 911 caller.

The 911 calls came in Tuesday afternoon and police tape is still up a day later.

Officers found the victim in the area. The victim had numerous lacerations to his head, knee and foot. He was treated on scene by medical staff.

After an investigation, officers said they learned that the victim was delivering food to an area address when he was physically confronted by two males. One of the suspects had an object in his hand. They tried to take the victim’s black Nissan Rogue.

Police said the victim was so distraught that he was unable to figure out what the object was in the suspect’s hand.

They said the victim was dragged about 500 feet before being separating from the stolen car.

“I heard the sirens, peeked through that window over there and see ambulance go by, I saw cop car go by,” said a neighbor.

This neighbor didn’t want to show his face but had plenty to say after learning about yesterday’s broad daylight carjacking near his home.

“That’s incredibly scary dude, especially in this neighborhood, because people walk up and down here, constantly walking their dogs, constantly walking, exercising,” he said.

“At this time we believe that the order was a ruse, so they made a food delivery order to an address on Chimney Hill Road, the suspects did not live in that area, so the whole thing was a ruse to get the driver to deliver food to that area, where someone was lying in wait for this person,” said Sgt. Stephen Jaques with Wallingford Police.

The stolen black Nissan Rogue was recovered a short time later in Meriden.

“If you’re in the delivery service industry, taxi driver, Uber driver, whatever it may be, it’s really important you pay attention to your surroundings,” said Jaques. “If you’re making a delivery and something seems off, you might be better off just skip that fare, skip that delivery.”

An image of the Honda Accord was released by police on Wednesday morning.

Anyone who sees or recognizes it was asked to contact Wallingford detectives at 203-294-2856.

“The Wallingford Police Department would like to remind the public to report suspicious activity if you see it,” police said in a news release. “For those who are employed in a delivery service capacity, use caution when conducting your business. It is always better to skip a fare or delivery when you notice something suspicious, than to take a risk and ignore what you see to try to finish your job.”

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