An Inland Empire family is mourning the loss of a 79-year-old father who was killed during a carjacking on Monday.
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WATCH HEREJames Norman of Corona was vacuuming his car at the car wash of a Norco gas station when a man approached his vehicle and hopped into the driver’s seat. Norman was partially inside the rear seat at the time and got stuck when the thief took off. He was dragged about a mile away and died of his injuries.
Those who know Norman say he went by Jim, and he’s remembered for being a fixture in the neighborhood who lived in his home for 42 years.
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SIGN UP “I’m struggling with the vision of how it went down,” Nicole Lauritsen, Norman’s daughter, said in tears. “I think he was so scared.”
Lauritsen said she initially didn’t know her father has the victim of a carjacking. She recalled her father’s neighbor helping with the investigation.
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“She said, ‘Your dad was in an accident. Can you track his phone?’ I said, ‘No, but I can track his car,’” she said. “That’s where it lead, but nothing made sense at the time.”
Police arrested Ryan Hewitt, 29, in connection with the incident. He faces charges that include second-degree murder, carjacking and carrying a firearm. He’s scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
While the victim’s family seeks justice in their loss, they’re also grieving a life that was taken abruptly.
“He was a good guy and he was the dad that took us fishing and hunting and camping,” Lauritsen said.
