EAST HAVEN, CT – A quick-thinking pregnant woman and two employees at a local Dunkin’ successfully thwarted a man’s attempted carjacking Tuesday night. Police state that the individual assaulted the woman before trying to steal her vehicle.
The incident occurred around 7:45 p.m. when the suspect, 28-year-old William Rodriguez, allegedly sprang into the unsuspecting woman’s car standing in a Dunkin’ drive-thru line, demanding her keys. After she resisted, Rodriguez became violent, punching her in the chest and arm.
Despite being four months pregnant, the woman fled from the vehicle and ran into the Dunkin’ on Foxon Road, seeking help. Two employees of Dunkin’ responded immediately. They confronted Rodriguez, who was struggling to drive the woman’s car, forcibly removed him from the vehicle, and detained him until the police arrived.
Reportedly, Rodriguez aggressively fought off not just the intervening employees but also the responding officers. He continued his violent rampage by biting a medic on the hand while receiving treatment for injuries acquired during the attempted carjacking.
Due to multiple state police warrants already pending against him, plus several outstanding warrants totaling $475,000, Rodriguez faced a variety of charges for his disturbing actions on Tuesday.
Arraigned on Wednesday, Rodriguez was charged with assault on a pregnant person, assault on emergency medical personnel, robbery, assault, reckless endangerment, larceny of a motor vehicle, interfering with an officer, as well as breach of peace. The judge set his bail at $500,000.
Rodriguez, a resident of New Haven, appeared disheveled with evident bruises near his eyes in the released mug shot. Authorities determined that the vehicle Rodriguez used to reach the Dunkin’ drive-thru had been stolen from New Haven.