California carjacker breaks into car at gas station, drags 79-year-old victim to death: Deputies

NORCO, Calif. – A carjacker broke into a man’s car at a gas station/car wash and then dragged the victim to his death in Riverside County, deputies say.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a carjacking a little before 12:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Hidden Valley Parkway in Norco on Monday, May 12.

Deputies said a man was vacuuming the backseat of his car when the suspect jumped into the driver’s seat and took off speeding.

Investigators said the victim was holding on, hanging halfway out of the car. After being dragged, the victim was eventually thrown out of the car. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, deputies said. The victim was identified as 79-year-old James Norman of Corona.

During the investigation, the victim’s vehicle was located unoccupied near the intersection of Polk Street and Magnolia Avenue in the city of Riverside.

Investigators then identified and located 29-year-old Ryan Hewitt as the suspect in the carjacking. Hewitt was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for carjacking and murder.