CAPTURED CARJACKER WANTED BACK IN JAIL

A man arrested by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office for carjacking a woman at knifepoint Wednesday afternoon told deputies that he committed the crime because he wanted to go back to jail. Jackie Kendrick had served time in jail for a prior carjacking offense in 2000. Kendrick was captured approximately 10 minutes after speeding away with the Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible from a Deltona grocery store parking lot. The 49-year-old victim was not injured.

The incident started at 4:25 p.m. in the parking lot of Publix at the intersection of Elkcam Boulevard and Howland Boulevard. The victim had just gotten into her car and was pulling out of her parking spot when she said that Kendrick suddenly jumped in. He had a knife in his hand and he told her he didn’t want to hurt her; all he wanted was the car. The woman quickly got out and Kendrick slid over into the driver seat and sped away. The distraught woman then used her cell phone to call 911.

Law enforcement officers converged on the area and after a few minutes of searching for the convertible that had its top down, a Lake Helen police officer found it. The officer kept track of Kendrick as the carjacker drove down Catalina Boulevard, but didn’t try to stop him until backup arrived. Sheriff’s Office Deputy John Vedder with his K-9 partner Kuber arrived and tried to block Kendrick from turning onto Howland Boulevard. Kendrick attempted to get around Deputy Vedder by backing up, hitting the Lake Helen officer’s vehicle. Deputy Vedder and Kuber got out of their vehicle and the deputy ordered Kendrick out of the car at gunpoint. Upon seeing Deputy Vedder and his K-9, the 40-year-old man complied and was apprehended without further incident.

Kendrick, who is a Deltona resident, told deputies that he had targeted the convertible because it was an easy target. He said that he has a thing for vehicles and wanted to go back to jail. Kendrick was charged with armed carjacking and grand theft and transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.