Detectives seek ID of suspect in violent carjacking of newspaper delivery man



SEATTLE -- Seattle Police detectives are asking for your help to identify a violent carjacking suspect.

Police say he hit a newspaper deliveryman over the head with a champagne bottle at approximately 5:25 a.m. on Saturday, June 29 at 42nd Avenue SW & SW Dakota Street in West Seattle.

"He just starts to cross the street to go deliver the newspapers and all of a sudden, wham, he's hit over the head with an object. He's knocked to the ground," said Ret. Det. Myrle Carner with Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound who is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for any tip that identifies the suspect.

The suspect then took the victim's keys and started to drive off northbound in the victim's vehicle. The driver's side window was down so the victim grabbed onto the door and the seatbelt strap as the suspect attempted to flee with the vehicle. He dragged the victim for a few hundred feet before hitting a traffic circle, throwing the victim to the ground. He suffered scrapes to his knees, hands and elbows.



The suspect took off eastbound in the vehicle on SW Andover Street from 42nd Avenue SW. Police later found the vehicle at the Taco Time at 35th Avenue SW & SW Avalon Street, but the victim's keys and cell phone were gone.

Detectives located surveillance video of the suspect in the 3700 block of California Avenue SW a half hour before the attack. He appears drunk and seems as though he was waiting on a Metro bus. The buses were not in service.

"If he's just hitting anybody on the street and hoping to score, what does that tell me? He's gonna probably look for somebody else and maybe use the same kind of M-O or another weapon. We hope this doesn't repeat," said Ret. Det. Carner.

The suspect is described as mid-twenties, 6 feet tall and 200 pounds with facial hair and wearing a black baseball cap and a black sweatsuit.

If you have any information that can help Seattle Police identify or locate the suspect, you will remain anonymous and receive a cash reward of up to $1,000. Call 1-800-222-TIPS or go to www.P3Tips.com to submit the information. You can also send tips and photos through the P3 Tips App on your cell phone.