A man in Austin has been charged with assaulting a repossession man by driving away with him caught in the door.
The incident occurred on November 15, 2019, but details were made available on January 7.
Police say an employee of Auto Credit and a manager tracked the Nissan Altima bought by Rondrecus Deaundre Scott, 37, to an Exxon station in Williamson County.
Cars sold by the dealership are outfitted with tracking devices so they can be located if they need to be repossessed.
The victim said he had formed a casual friendship with Scott and sent him several text messages warning him that his car payments were late. He told him he needed to catch up to avoid repossession.
A police report said the repo team found Scott at the gas pump sitting in his car. The victim said he spoke to Scott and told him he needed to take the vehicle.
While standing at the open door on the driver’s side, the repo man reached into the car to kill the engine. In response, Scott punched him in the stomach, put the car in reverse, and trapped the man between the door and the door jam.
He then put the car in drive and sped off, flinging the repo man from the door jam to the bumper of the tow truck. The man was left with injuries to the head, arms, and back.
Police said based on surveillance footage, it was impossible for Scott not to know that the man was caught in the car.
Scott has been accused of aggravated assault with a motor vehicle. This is a second-degree felony and it attracts a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
If you’re facing criminal charges, seek advice from a criminal defense attorney in Texas.
Source: https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/police-man-drove-away-with-repo-man-stuck-in-car-door/