Man who allegedly carjacked sleeping victim and crashed into another car, tearing it in half, arrested

A man has been arrested after he carjacked a sleeping man and crashed into another car, tearing it in half, at Paralowie on Friday.

The crash happened when a stolen green Commodore hit a grey Mitsubishi. Picture: Mark Brake

A man who allegedly carjacked a sleeping victim and bashed him, before crashing into a Mitsubishi tearing it in half on Friday, has been arrested.

About 4.30am Friday, the victim, 33, was asleep in his green Commodore on Jessie Road at Paralowie when he was dragged from his car and allegedly assaulted by two masked men.

The carjackers then stole the car and sped off, while the man was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Then, about 4.50am, police were called to Edinburgh Road after reports of a serious crash between the Commodore and a Mitsubishi Lancer.

When officers arrived, they found the driver of the Commodore, a 34-year-old Yorke Peninsula man, and the driver of the Mitsubishi, a 38-year-old Mawson Lakes man, still at the scene with serious but non-life threatening injuries. They were taken to the Lyell McEwin Hospital for treatment.

The driver of the Commodore was arrested on Monday and charged with committing theft using force, illegal use of a motor vehicle, theft and assault causing harm.

He was refused police bail and will appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Police and crime scene investigators at the scene of a crash on Edinburgh Road, Edinburgh. Picture: Mark Brake

However, the passenger of the Commodore – one of the two men believed to be involved in the earlier assault – had fled the scene and is yet to be found.

With the assistance of a dog patrol, police searched the area but could not find the man.

Later on Friday morning, part of Edinburgh Road remained closed and both cars were still on the road.

Parts of the Mitsubishi were strewn across the intersection, and the seats could be seen on a nearby creekbed.

The victim returned to his home on Friday morning with bandages across the top of his head and abrasions on his face.

Police on scene and part of Edinburgh Rd is closed after a crash this morning.

Police say masked offenders assaulted a man and dragged him from his Commodore at Paralowie, took the car & crashed with a Mitsubishi at this intersection. Victim left with serious injuries. @theTiserpic.twitter.com/ztigrs2EWw

— Kathryn Bermingham (@KatBermingham) August 19, 2021

He made no comment to reporters but his neighbour, who did not want to be named, said he heard the car’s horn and armed himself with a baseball bat.

The man said he went next door to find two men had climbed over the fence and were attacking his neighbour with a brick and a baseball bat.

They dragged the man from his unlocked car, and used the key to open the gate.

“They just backed the car out and took off,” he said.

“I never ended up using my bat.”

He said the victim had lived at the home with his mother but had been sleeping in the car after her recent death.

The man said they were “not 100 per cent sure” who carried out the attack, and added there had been a home invasion two doors down in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.