A Lufkin man has been arrested and is charged with aggravated robbery after police say he threatened to kill a man if he wasn’t driven to Galveston and stole his car when the man jumped out.

According to Lufkin police, around 10:13 p.m. Wednesday, they received a call from a concerned motorist who believed they had just witnessed a driver get kicked out of his vehicle at the intersection of South First Street and Timberland Drive. The caller said the vehicle – a gold Ford Expedition – then continued down the road. The caller stayed on the phone with dispatch and gave the suspect’s direction of travel.

Police said moments later the victim called and reported the incident. He said he was stopped at the stop sign on South First Street beside Papa John’s Pizza when an unknown man got in the back seat of his car, stuck a knife in his back and told him to drive to Galveston or he would kill him. The victim said he immediately jumped out of the car as the suspect climbed into the driver’s seat and drove away.

Thanks to the concerned motorist’s information, officers caught up to the vehicle near the intersection of South John Redditt Drive and Pershing Street within four minutes of the original call. Officers then made a traffic stop and took the suspect – later identified as Lawrence Williams, 39, of Lufkin – into custody without incident.

Williams briefly spoke with officers, saying he had been sleeping under a bridge and was trying to get home to Galveston when a guy pulled over and told him to smile. He then stopped talking and said he would speak with his attorney.

Police said officers found a six-inch folding-style knife still lying open in the front passenger seat. Officers returned the vehicle to the victim. He was uninjured in the incident. The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest.

Williams is charged with aggravated robbery. His bond is set at $100,000.

https://www.kltv.com/2020/07/30/police-lufkin-man-jumps-car-uses-knife-demand-ride-galveston/