Latest news with #Mustang
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Miami Herald
Man kills couple at home over muscle car, tries to fool cops, AZ officials say
A man accused of breaking into an Arizona couple's home and killing them over a muscle car has been sentenced to prison, according to prosecutors. Investigators say Alexander Lee Smith broke into Walter Mitchell and Susie Ephrem's Peoria home in November 2023 and fatally shot them, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said in a July 11 news release. The couple's 8-year-old grandson was inside the home but wasn't hurt, the attorney's office said. Mitchell and Ephrem were 52 and 42 years old, KSAZ reported. Ephrem called 911 and officers arrived to find her wounded, though she later died at a hospital, prosecutors said. Mitchell died at the scene. Prosecutors say Smith, who was 20 at the time, had been communicating with Mitchell about buying his Ford Shelby GT500 — which is essentially an upgraded, and much pricier, Ford Mustang. It's not only 'the most powerful Mustang — it's also the most expensive,' according to Car and Driver, with baseline models starting around $80,000 and higher trim levels climbing to nearly $130,000. Classic GT500s can list for much more. Messages between the men show Mitchell was going to sell the car to Smith but 'called off the deal because the wire transfer didn't go through,' prosecutors said. 'That same night, Walter traded the Mustang at a car dealership. He and Susie were killed the next morning,' according to prosecutors. But Smith wasn't ready to give up on acquiring the GT500, prosecutors say. The day after the killing, Smith went to the home and spoke to police, telling them he was there to pick up the GT500 that had been purchased by a car collector who he was working for. That apparently didn't work, so he waited a little while and tried again. 'More than two weeks later, Smith went to the Peoria Police station and asked to speak with detectives about getting the car,' prosecutors said. 'His story did not match what he told detectives at the crime scene the day after the shooting.' Investigation later revealed that police weren't the only ones Smith was trying to fool, according to prosecutors. 'Smith's phone records show that at the same time he was trying to buy the Ford Shelby GT500 from (Mitchell), he was also posing as the car's owner so he could trade it with someone else. Even after the deal had been called off, he told the third party he would trade the car the next day, which was the day of the murder,' prosecutors said. By then the car was already gone, as Mitchell had traded it to a dealership. Investigators found Smith's fingerprints on a door handle at the home, and GPS data shows he was nearby when the shooting happened, prosecutors said. 'This was an act driven by greed; even after taking two lives this defendant continued to lie to police to try to get the car,' Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said. 'Thanks to Peoria Police and MCAO prosecutors, his story unraveled, and he will spend the rest of his life facing the consequences of his choices.' Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and one count of burglary, the prosecutor's office said. He was sentenced to two life sentences, plus 21 years, in prison. Information about his legal representation was not immediately available. Peoria is a northwest suburb of Phoenix.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
Axe-wielding car thief runs over woman in her own Ford Mustang and flees at 180km/h
A 25-year-old NSW South Coast man has been charged with a range of offences after assaulting the female owner of a "one of a kind" 2018 Ford Mustang before running her over with it and then fleeing at speeds of up to 180km/h on the weekend. Worrigee, NSW resident Caleb Flentjar is now in custody after being detained by members of the public near Kiama, following an hour-long police pursuit involving police helicopters and road spikes that ended in a crash with another car. The pursuit started when police were called to a home east of Nowra just before 1:00pm on Saturday (July 12) after they received reports of a man seen armed with an axe and a hammer. Upon their arrival, Mr Flentjar greeted officers from the South Coast Police District by throwing an axe at their vehicle, before he fled on foot and ran to a nearby home, where he allegedly assaulted a 66-year-old woman several times with the axe while she was sitting in the special Mustang GT. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The damaged Ford Mustang following the pursuit. Image credit: Nine News. Police say he then forced her out of the car, before running her over and seriously injuring her legs and torso while driving away. He then allegedly drove through Nowra, Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong and Kiama at 180km/h, at times exceeding the speed limit by 100km/h. Police said they deployed road spikes to end the pursuit, but Mr Flentjar narrowly missed them and a highway patrol officer after swerving, before the Mustang was detected by PolAir heading south on the wrong side of the Princes Highway at Kiama Downs about an hour later. Soon after it collided with a ute, before Mr Flentjar attempted to run from the scene but was apprehended by good Samaritans and detained until police arrived. He was arrested and taken under police guard to Wollongong Hospital, before being charged at Wollongong Police Station on Sunday with 11 counts of 10 separate charges. They include the aggravated taking of a motor vehicle with a person in it while armed with a weapon; failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causes grievous bodily harm; using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful apprehension; driving while disqualified; pursuit; speeding; and larceny. The offender was also charged with three outstanding offences over an unrelated incident last week, including a domestic violence-related charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Mr Flentjar was refused bail and will attend court on July 22, while the unnamed woman was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital in a serious but stable condition, then transferred to St George Hospital. Content originally sourced from: A 25-year-old NSW South Coast man has been charged with a range of offences after assaulting the female owner of a "one of a kind" 2018 Ford Mustang before running her over with it and then fleeing at speeds of up to 180km/h on the weekend. Worrigee, NSW resident Caleb Flentjar is now in custody after being detained by members of the public near Kiama, following an hour-long police pursuit involving police helicopters and road spikes that ended in a crash with another car. The pursuit started when police were called to a home east of Nowra just before 1:00pm on Saturday (July 12) after they received reports of a man seen armed with an axe and a hammer. Upon their arrival, Mr Flentjar greeted officers from the South Coast Police District by throwing an axe at their vehicle, before he fled on foot and ran to a nearby home, where he allegedly assaulted a 66-year-old woman several times with the axe while she was sitting in the special Mustang GT. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The damaged Ford Mustang following the pursuit. Image credit: Nine News. Police say he then forced her out of the car, before running her over and seriously injuring her legs and torso while driving away. He then allegedly drove through Nowra, Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong and Kiama at 180km/h, at times exceeding the speed limit by 100km/h. Police said they deployed road spikes to end the pursuit, but Mr Flentjar narrowly missed them and a highway patrol officer after swerving, before the Mustang was detected by PolAir heading south on the wrong side of the Princes Highway at Kiama Downs about an hour later. Soon after it collided with a ute, before Mr Flentjar attempted to run from the scene but was apprehended by good Samaritans and detained until police arrived. He was arrested and taken under police guard to Wollongong Hospital, before being charged at Wollongong Police Station on Sunday with 11 counts of 10 separate charges. They include the aggravated taking of a motor vehicle with a person in it while armed with a weapon; failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causes grievous bodily harm; using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful apprehension; driving while disqualified; pursuit; speeding; and larceny. The offender was also charged with three outstanding offences over an unrelated incident last week, including a domestic violence-related charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Mr Flentjar was refused bail and will attend court on July 22, while the unnamed woman was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital in a serious but stable condition, then transferred to St George Hospital. Content originally sourced from: A 25-year-old NSW South Coast man has been charged with a range of offences after assaulting the female owner of a "one of a kind" 2018 Ford Mustang before running her over with it and then fleeing at speeds of up to 180km/h on the weekend. Worrigee, NSW resident Caleb Flentjar is now in custody after being detained by members of the public near Kiama, following an hour-long police pursuit involving police helicopters and road spikes that ended in a crash with another car. The pursuit started when police were called to a home east of Nowra just before 1:00pm on Saturday (July 12) after they received reports of a man seen armed with an axe and a hammer. Upon their arrival, Mr Flentjar greeted officers from the South Coast Police District by throwing an axe at their vehicle, before he fled on foot and ran to a nearby home, where he allegedly assaulted a 66-year-old woman several times with the axe while she was sitting in the special Mustang GT. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The damaged Ford Mustang following the pursuit. Image credit: Nine News. Police say he then forced her out of the car, before running her over and seriously injuring her legs and torso while driving away. He then allegedly drove through Nowra, Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong and Kiama at 180km/h, at times exceeding the speed limit by 100km/h. Police said they deployed road spikes to end the pursuit, but Mr Flentjar narrowly missed them and a highway patrol officer after swerving, before the Mustang was detected by PolAir heading south on the wrong side of the Princes Highway at Kiama Downs about an hour later. Soon after it collided with a ute, before Mr Flentjar attempted to run from the scene but was apprehended by good Samaritans and detained until police arrived. He was arrested and taken under police guard to Wollongong Hospital, before being charged at Wollongong Police Station on Sunday with 11 counts of 10 separate charges. They include the aggravated taking of a motor vehicle with a person in it while armed with a weapon; failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causes grievous bodily harm; using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful apprehension; driving while disqualified; pursuit; speeding; and larceny. The offender was also charged with three outstanding offences over an unrelated incident last week, including a domestic violence-related charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Mr Flentjar was refused bail and will attend court on July 22, while the unnamed woman was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital in a serious but stable condition, then transferred to St George Hospital. Content originally sourced from: A 25-year-old NSW South Coast man has been charged with a range of offences after assaulting the female owner of a "one of a kind" 2018 Ford Mustang before running her over with it and then fleeing at speeds of up to 180km/h on the weekend. Worrigee, NSW resident Caleb Flentjar is now in custody after being detained by members of the public near Kiama, following an hour-long police pursuit involving police helicopters and road spikes that ended in a crash with another car. The pursuit started when police were called to a home east of Nowra just before 1:00pm on Saturday (July 12) after they received reports of a man seen armed with an axe and a hammer. Upon their arrival, Mr Flentjar greeted officers from the South Coast Police District by throwing an axe at their vehicle, before he fled on foot and ran to a nearby home, where he allegedly assaulted a 66-year-old woman several times with the axe while she was sitting in the special Mustang GT. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The damaged Ford Mustang following the pursuit. Image credit: Nine News. Police say he then forced her out of the car, before running her over and seriously injuring her legs and torso while driving away. He then allegedly drove through Nowra, Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong and Kiama at 180km/h, at times exceeding the speed limit by 100km/h. Police said they deployed road spikes to end the pursuit, but Mr Flentjar narrowly missed them and a highway patrol officer after swerving, before the Mustang was detected by PolAir heading south on the wrong side of the Princes Highway at Kiama Downs about an hour later. Soon after it collided with a ute, before Mr Flentjar attempted to run from the scene but was apprehended by good Samaritans and detained until police arrived. He was arrested and taken under police guard to Wollongong Hospital, before being charged at Wollongong Police Station on Sunday with 11 counts of 10 separate charges. They include the aggravated taking of a motor vehicle with a person in it while armed with a weapon; failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causes grievous bodily harm; using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful apprehension; driving while disqualified; pursuit; speeding; and larceny. The offender was also charged with three outstanding offences over an unrelated incident last week, including a domestic violence-related charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Mr Flentjar was refused bail and will attend court on July 22, while the unnamed woman was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital in a serious but stable condition, then transferred to St George Hospital. Content originally sourced from:
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Axe-wielding car thief runs over woman in her own Ford Mustang and flees at 180km/h
A 25-year-old NSW South Coast man has been charged with a range of offences after assaulting the female owner of a 'one of a kind' 2018 Ford Mustang before running her over with it and then fleeing at speeds of up to 180km/h on the weekend. Worrigee, NSW resident Caleb Flentjar is now in custody after being detained by members of the public near Kiama, following an hour-long police pursuit involving police helicopters and road spikes that ended in a crash with another car. The pursuit started when police were called to a home east of Nowra just before 1:00pm on Saturday (July 12) after they received reports of a man seen armed with an axe and a hammer. Upon their arrival, Mr Flentjar greeted officers from the South Coast Police District by throwing an axe at their vehicle, before he fled on foot and ran to a nearby home, where he allegedly assaulted a 66-year-old woman several times with the axe while she was sitting in the special Mustang GT. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The damaged Ford Mustang following the pursuit. Image credit: Nine News. Police say he then forced her out of the car, before running her over and seriously injuring her legs and torso while driving away. He then allegedly drove through Nowra, Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong and Kiama at 180km/h, at times exceeding the speed limit by 100km/h. Police said they deployed road spikes to end the pursuit, but Mr Flentjar narrowly missed them and a highway patrol officer after swerving, before the Mustang was detected by PolAir heading south on the wrong side of the Princes Highway at Kiama Downs about an hour later. Soon after it collided with a ute, before Mr Flentjar attempted to run from the scene but was apprehended by good Samaritans and detained until police arrived. Supplied Credit: CarExpert He was arrested and taken under police guard to Wollongong Hospital, before being charged at Wollongong Police Station on Sunday with 11 counts of 10 separate charges. They include the aggravated taking of a motor vehicle with a person in it while armed with a weapon; failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causes grievous bodily harm; using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful apprehension; driving while disqualified; pursuit; speeding; and larceny. The offender was also charged with three outstanding offences over an unrelated incident last week, including a domestic violence-related charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Mr Flentjar was refused bail and will attend court on July 22, while the unnamed woman was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital in a serious but stable condition, then transferred to St George Hospital.
7NEWS
2 days ago
- 7NEWS
Axe-wielding car thief runs over woman in her own Ford Mustang and flees at 180km/h
A 25-year-old NSW South Coast man has been charged with a range of offences after assaulting the female owner of a 'one of a kind' 2018 Ford Mustang before running her over with it and then fleeing at speeds of up to 180km/h on the weekend. Worrigee, NSW resident Caleb Flentjar is now in custody after being detained by members of the public near Kiama, following an hour-long police pursuit involving police helicopters and road spikes that ended in a crash with another car. The pursuit started when police were called to a home east of Nowra just before 1:00pm on Saturday (July 12) after they received reports of a man seen armed with an axe and a hammer. Upon their arrival, Mr Flentjar greeted officers from the South Coast Police District by throwing an axe at their vehicle, before he fled on foot and ran to a nearby home, where he allegedly assaulted a 66-year-old woman several times with the axe while she was sitting in the special Mustang GT. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The damaged Ford Mustang following the pursuit. Image credit: Nine News. Police say he then forced her out of the car, before running her over and seriously injuring her legs and torso while driving away. He then allegedly drove through Nowra, Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong and Kiama at 180km/h, at times exceeding the speed limit by 100km/h. Police said they deployed road spikes to end the pursuit, but Mr Flentjar narrowly missed them and a highway patrol officer after swerving, before the Mustang was detected by PolAir heading south on the wrong side of the Princes Highway at Kiama Downs about an hour later. Soon after it collided with a ute, before Mr Flentjar attempted to run from the scene but was apprehended by good Samaritans and detained until police arrived. He was arrested and taken under police guard to Wollongong Hospital, before being charged at Wollongong Police Station on Sunday with 11 counts of 10 separate charges. They include the aggravated taking of a motor vehicle with a person in it while armed with a weapon; failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causes grievous bodily harm; using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful apprehension; driving while disqualified; pursuit; speeding; and larceny. The offender was also charged with three outstanding offences over an unrelated incident last week, including a domestic violence-related charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Mr Flentjar was refused bail and will attend court on July 22, while the unnamed woman was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital in a serious but stable condition, then transferred to St George Hospital.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Automotive
- News.com.au
What is the best car of the 21st century?
Aussies are passionate about cars. Drawing up a list of the most significant models from the past 25 years isn't an easy task – though limiting it to cars made after 2000 helps streamline things, as you can forget about classics such as the original Mini, VW Beetle, or Ford Model T. My list of the top 10 cars from the last 25 years represents an odd bunch. Our 25@25 series will finally put to bed the debates you've been having at the pub and around dinner tables for years – and some that are just too much fun not to include. There are pioneers of electrification and the growth of Chinese cars, best-sellers, Aussie icons and cars that led the way for technology. Tesla Model Y You can't talk about the most significant cars of the last quarter century without talking about Tesla. It's easy to make a case for most of its models, but I'm going with the Tesla Model Y. This wasn't just the world's best-selling EV for the last couple of years, it was the world's number one selling car. Period. The Model Y made electric vehicles an everyday reality for thousands of Aussies. It's an important machine. Toyota HiLux Utes are part of Australia's motoring identity. The Toyota HiLux is an important one – it was the first ute to top the national sales charts, overtaking sedans and hatchbacks to sit atop the list – until it was overtaken by another ute, the Ford Ranger. Ford Mustang Aussies love fast cars, and we love a V8. It's no wonder the Ford Mustang is the country's favourite sports car. While it's sad that you can't buy a V8 powered Commodore or Falcon any more, the Mustang is here to fly the flag for red blooded performance cars. And Ford promises that it will keep doing that, at Bathurst and beyond, for years to come. Bugatti Veyron If you love fast cars, they don't get much faster than this. The Bugatti Veyron shattered speed records by streaking past 400kmh way back in 2005. It set a new benchmark for what cars are capable of – and helped introduce tech such as dual clutch transmissions found in many cars today. VW Golf There's a little bit of Bugatti in modern VW Golfs, with turbocharged engines and DSG gearboxes that can be found in every suburb. The Volkswagen Golf GTI and R have really resonated with Aussie car enthusiasts. They're damn good vehicles. If you want the best sports car in the world, your search can start and stop with Porsche. The Porsche 911 has an amazing record on road and track. It caters to traditional car lovers with free breathing engines and manual transmissions – or fans of hybrid power, turbocharging and technical toys. Holden Commodore Back in the real world, if we look at the earliest part of the millennium, the Holden Commodore was king. From Bathurst to the Boulevard, the Commodore ruled the streets and sales charts. The last of them, such as the SSV Redline and HSV's GTSR W1, were truly special. Toyota LandCruiser The Toyota LandCruiser might be the only car that can claim to be more iconic – to Australians – than the Commodore. From the basic 70 Series Ute to fully loaded wagons, such as the modern classic 200 series, the LandCruiser is a firm favourite on Australian roads. MG3 OK this one might be a touch controversial, but hear me out. Chinese cars are redefining Australian roads. Many are more affordable than more famous rivals. And in the case of the MG3, this is a car playing in a space abandoned by key rivals. The old MG3 cost $16k when a Toyota Yaris was double that. When Ford, Honda, Renault and Hyundai gave up on cheap cars, MG was there for buyers on a budget. That's why they sold thousands. Toyota RAV4 If we're talking about popularity, you have to talk about the Toyota RAV4. It's Australia's most popular car today. It's the world's most popular car today. It has pushed the case of hybrid cars well into the future, and been a staple for Aussie business and families for years.
