Sheriff: Man fills out job application at gas station, carjacks customer & crashes on I-4

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County deputies said a 23-year-old man carjacked a driver at a gas station right after he applied for a job there.

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Deputies said Jacob Thompson, of Winter Haven, stopped at the Pilot Travel Center on State Road 60 in Bartow on Friday and wanted to speak to someone at the store about a job.

No one was available at the time, so he filled out an application and was told to come back Monday, according to a report.

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Investigators said while Thompson was leaving the gas station, he carjacked a West Palm Beach man and nearly ran him over as he stole his Cadillac.

Deputies said Thompson was tracked down in the stolen car, driving on US-27, and he eventually drove onto Interstate 4.

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While on I-4, he started speeding, crashed the Cadillac and tried to run from the scene but was captured, investigators said.

Thompson sustained minor injuries in the crash and was treated for his injuries before he was taken to jail.

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Thompson is facing several charges including grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

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