DETROIT (WWJ) - A 24-year-old man has been arranged on five felony counts after he allegedly stole a vehicle belonging a 95-year-old woman and took off with her still sitting in the car.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced that 23-year-old James Smith, 24, of Detroit was arraigned Thursday in connection with the alleged carjacking on Sept. 19, and given a $100,000 personal bond.
However, after an emergency motion by the prosecutor's office Judge Kenneth King on Friday raised Smith’s bond to $500,000 cash. He will have a GPS tether if he is released.
According to police, a 95-year-old woman was in the passenger seat of her vehicle in the area of Woodward Avenue and Merton Street in Detroit just before 2 p.m. when a man approached the car.
Authorities said the man opened the driver's side door, got into the car and drove off with the victim still inside the vehicle.
The suspect, which police identified as Smith, then began to attack the woman before pulling over near State Fair and Bauman Street and went to get out of the car.
The 95-year-old woman also exited the vehicle, upon which the suspect quickly got back in the car and drove off.
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“This defendant committed these alleged crimes on the victim who is five years from her 100th birthday. All I can do is shake my head….and make sure that justice is served,” said Worthy.
Smith faces one count of Carjacking, one count of Unarmed Robbery, one count of Assault with Intent to do Great Bodily Harm, one count of Receiving and Concealing a Motor Vehicle, and one count of Unlawfully Driving Away of an Automobile.
Smith is scheduled to return to court for a Probable Cause Conference on Oct. 6.
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