Carjacking victim says it was ‘God’s grace’ he, friend weren’t shot by suspect

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Two people who came face-to-face with a gunman behind a two-county carjacking crime spree are speaking out about their terrifying experiences.

Channel 2′s Tom Jones was in DeKalb County, where police said a suspect took three cars and even kidnapped a woman all within 15 minutes on Wednesday.

Jones talked to Joseph Thompson, who believes the gunman wanted to steal his van to flee from police. The man has been identified as 51-year-old James K. Crew.

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Thompson was sitting in his van while it was parked on Dalhgreen Street when police said Crew asked him for a screwdriver, then pointed a gun at his best friend.

Thompson thought his best friend and co-worker was gone.

“That was God’s grace that he didn’t shoot him,” Thompson said. “When he pointed the pistol at my partner, I though he was going to shoot my partner.”

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The entire spree took around 20 minutes.

Atlanta Police Sgt. John Chafee said Crew carjacked an AT&T van driver on Fraser Road, then carjacked and kidnapped a woman near Cherokee Ave.

Police said Crew put her out of the vehicle on Memorial Drive, where he then carjacked the driver of a Volvo. Police said he then drove to Dahlgreen Street in DeKalb County, where he encountered Thompson.

Thompson said his dog startled Crew, who fired a shot in the air as he drove off. Police said they tracked the car Crew was in and quickly arrested him in Cobb County.

Chafee said police are still investigating a motive.

“We’re still looking at why somebody would do this,” Chafee said.

Thompson doesn’t want to think about what would have happened if the gunman shot him or his friend.

“I think we were blessed people,” Thompson said.

Crew is currently at the Fulton County Jail where he is being held on charges of hijacking a motor vehicle, armed robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

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