Norco carjacking victim was going to meet family for dinner before being dragged to death: Family
The Brief
James Norman, a 79-year-old U.S. Army veteran, was dragged to death during a violent carjacking incident.
Norman's daughter believes her father may have been unaware of the incident since he was not wearing hearing aids.
Norman was getting ready to join his family for dinner before the incident, family told FOX 11.
A Riverside County family is heartbroken after a 79-year-old U.S. Army veteran was dragged to death in a carjacking incident at a gas station-car wash in Norco.
What they're saying
FOX 11 spoke with the daughter of James Norman, who died in Monday's horrific carjacking incident. Norman's daughter reveals her father was getting ready to meet his family for dinner that night as he was vacuuming his Chevrolet Trailblazer at the car wash area.
It was at the gas station-car wash area where he got caught in a carjacking situation that left him getting dragged on the road. Norman was believed to not have hearing aids on so there was a possibility that he may not have been aware of what was going on, according to the 79-year-old veteran's daughter.
"It's a horrible feeling and I hope he went quickly just to think of him being drug a quarter mile or so. Um, I know that street very well. It's where I grew up that he was just ejected from the car. He really was roadkill. He was just left for dead," his daughter said.
After Norman was found lying on the road, it is also believed that two bystanders stood over his body along Hidden Valley Parkway so the 79-year-old would not get hit by passing cars.
"I envisioned him laying as roadkill by himself, and it felt good that somebody was there with him in his last moments," his daughter said.
What we know
The suspect in the deadly incident, 29-year-old Ryan Hewitt, has since been arrested. He is being booked for carjacking and murder.
The Source
This report used information provided by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office and James Norman's family.
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