ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A man was arrested Wednesday after St. Petersburg police say he hit a child with a car he was trying to steal.
Hector Gomez, 32, was taken into custody on charges of carjacking and aggravated battery on a child using a deadly weapon.
An arrest affidavit explains the situation started out around 10 p.m. when a woman driving a green 2006 Toyota Avalon got out of her car while it was still running off of 34th Street N.
This was when Gomez reportedly got in the car and started to back up, but he soon realized there was a child sitting in the back seat.
Police say he grabbed the child by her shirt and told her to get out of the car. Once she was outside, she began to run away. But before she got too far, the affidavit says Gomez reversed the sedan into the child.
The incident was caught on camera, and police were able to identify Gomez by a distinct pair of shoes he was wearing.
This isn't the first time Gomez got in trouble with the law for stealing a car.
He was previously arrested on July 27 after stealing a car from a Wawa gas station, arrest records show.
A man stopped at the gas station just past 6 a.m. off of 34th Street N. and went inside the store while his car was still running. Gomez reportedly made his way into the car and drove away from the scene.
According to police, there's also video footage of the incident that shows Gomez being dropped off by a Pinellas County deputy before the theft.
He was charged with grand theft motor vehicle.
