A Leon County man was convicted last Friday on three counts in connection to a 2021 carjacking along Capital Circle.
According to a press release from the 2nd Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office, Eugene W. Thompson, 67, was found guilty of false imprisonment, armed carjacking and armed robbery.
On July 30, 2021, at around at 6 a.m., officers responded to Springhill Road and Capital Circle Southwest after witnesses saw a woman running down the road asking for help, records show.
"The victim testified that she went to drop clothes off in front of the defendant’s home at approximately 5:20 a.m. that morning ... when she pulled up, defendant opened her passenger side door and upon removing the clothes got in," the release said.
He "immediately pulled a gun on her and demanded her phone to see who the man was he had seen her working out with," it added.
Once in the car, Thompson would take control of the vehicle driving until the Springhill Road intersection where the victim managed to escape the car and run for help. Two witnesses testified to seeing her running down the road. The firearm Thompson used was never found.
At trial, the defense called one witness, a woman who watched the victim struggle with Thompson, but chose not to report it to the police and refused to hand over footage despite having a security camera facing the scene, prosecutors said.
"The witness attempted to testify that she saw the victim swing at the defendant which he blocked by grabbing her arm, before he then pushed her into her car and got her to leave the scene," the report said. "She testified she did not see him take her car."
Assistant State Attorney Brent Berben prosecuted; attorney Craig J. Brown represented Thompson. Circuit Judge Tiffany Baker-Carper presided.
Thompson is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 21.
Arianna Otero is the City Solutions Reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com or on Twitter/X: @ari_v_otero.
Most Popular
Comments / 0