Woman Arrested After Chain of Crashes and Carjacking Ends at Deerfield Beach Gas Station
Broward deputies say a 44-year-old woman driving a stolen vehicle caused two collisions, then carjacked a good Samaritan and drove into a Mobil station.
By Miguel Hernandez ·
The Broward Sheriff's Office has identified the woman arrested after a series of crashes in Deerfield Beach that ended with a stolen car and a carjacked sedan slamming into a gas station. Deputies say the chain of events began Friday.
Investigators named the suspect as 44-year-old Roszetta Benjamin. She faces several charges, including carjacking, kidnapping, grand theft auto and reckless driving.
According to the sheriff's office, deputies were first called to a hit-and-run involving multiple vehicles near Northeast 54th Street and South Federal Highway. Preliminary information indicated Benjamin was behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle when it struck three other cars. Detectives said the occupants of those vehicles had minor injuries. The driver of a fourth car that was hit also suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Investigators said Benjamin did not stop. She kept driving and caused a second collision at North Federal Highway and Hillsboro Boulevard, which left the vehicle disabled near a Mobil gas station.
Witness Fry Yassin described what happened next. "A lady comes out, we try to calm her down," Yassin said. According to Yassin, the woman got out, circled the car and asked for a phone, appearing disoriented.
A good Samaritan named Vincent stopped at the Mobil to check on her. "I pulled into the Mobil right here and tried to help her out, see if she was alright," he said. Instead of accepting help, the woman reportedly struggled with him over his Mazda sedan.
"She ended up getting in my car, carjacking me, and I Superman'd through the window," Vincent said. He then tried to take her foot off the accelerator and put the car in park, but it did not work. "She just kept going into the gas station," he said.
The Mazda hit the building and shattered a glass window at the store's entrance. Yassin said it also struck another parked car along the way before driving straight into the structure. Benjamin was later seen on top of the Mazda, apparently trying to get out.
Deputies from BSO Deerfield Beach arrived, checked her and took her into custody. "Probably one of the crazier things that we've seen happen here at the gas station," Yassin said.
Benjamin refused to appear in court on Saturday, though her case is still moving forward. Her bond has been set at $104,500.
Source: WSVN 7News
