Detroit freeway carjacking incidents investigated

Detroit — The Michigan State Police had its hands full early Monday morning after carjackers struck twice on Detroit freeways.

At about 3:50 a.m., troopers were dispatched to meet up with a carjacking victim at a Mobil gas station on Interstate 96, near Rosa Parks Boulevard.

The victim said he was on his way to work on eastbound Interstate 96, near Martin Luther King Boulevard, when a silver or gold Chrysler 200 with four men in it started “brake checking” in front of his vehicle.

The driver said he tried to avoid the Chrysler by going onto the shoulder of the freeway but his Chevrolet Cobalt was forced into the wall. The four men in the Chrysler stood by with guns as one of the suspects approached the victim, assaulted him and then stole his vehicle.

The victim was able to walk to a nearby gas station and called police. His vehicle was located at about 5:45 a.m. at the I-96 service drive and Scotten.

Nothing was taken from the vehicle.

At about 4:20 a.m., the dispatch center received a call from a man who said he was sideswiped by a Chrysler 200 and was shot at when he attempted to escape an attempted carjacking.

The victim told police he had entered westbound I-96 at Davison Avenue, passing what he thought was a traffic crash along the freeway involving three vehicles.

He then noticed a Chrysler 200 alongside his vehicle. It was soon joined by the other two vehicles that had been alongside the freeway.

The three vehicles reportedly tried to forced him off the road with the Chrysler sideswiping his car. The Chrysler then slammed on its brakes.

At that point, a passenger exited and took a shot at the victim, who had by then put his car in reverse and fled the scene.

The victim described the other two vehicles as an older model Dodge Charger and a smaller black vehicle, possibly the Cobalt that was stolen from the first victim.

Neither victim was able to give a detailed description of the carjackers.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Michigan State Police at (855) MICH TIP.

TGreenwood@detroitnews.com

(313) 222-2023