Man Trained in MMA Staves Off 3 Would-Be Alleged Carjackers

A man trained in mixed martial arts (MMA) fought off three would-be alleged carjackers Tuesday in a gym parking lot in Virginia.

The alleged attempted car theft took place on October 12 in Stafford, Virginia. Deputies responded to the call at 4:51 p.m., according to a Facebook post from the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.

“Once on scene, deputies learned the suspects had approached the victim wielding a wooden stick and struck him several times in an attempt to steal his car,” the post reads. “The victim, trained in mixed martial arts, fought back against the attackers.”

One of the three men was allegedly able to secure the victim’s keys, but upon entering the car, he realized the vehicle had a manual transmission, which stopped the alleged carjackers dead in their tracks, the sheriff’s office said. Gym goers began to exit the building and assist the victim, helping to end the robbery, but the three men hopped in their own vehicle and allegedly fled the scene.

Deputies were alerted that the alleged suspects’ vehicle was a white Acura with Mississippi plates, the sherrif’s office says. Sgt. R.K. Pinkard observed the vehicle on Garrisonville Road, close to I-95, and attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the alleged suspects sped onto I-95 northbound.

A car chase ensued in which deputies reached speeds of 98 MPH before the suspects crashed through a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) barrier arm and began to drive against the southbound traffic, according to the sheriff’s office. They allegedly drove southbound for two miles before pulling over on their own accord, according to WUSA 9.

“The suspects fled on foot into the wooded median between the HOV lanes and the southbound lanes of the Interstate,” the sherrif’s office said. “The suspects obviously did not know K-9 Titan was on call and was headed to the scene with his handler Sgt. B.U. Demirci.”

After establishing a perimeter around the area, a search for the alleged suspects ensued, which was spearheaded by K-9 Titan, according to the sheriff’s office:

All three were ordered to the ground and told not to run or the K-9 would be deployed. Two of the suspects complied and were handcuffed without incident. The third suspect incorrectly judged his own speed or K-9 Titan’s speed and attempted to run away. This attempt was futile as K-9 Titan was released and apprehended the suspect within 50 yards.

The alleged suspects were identified as Jabez Clark, 19, Korey Richardson, 18, and Jacob Land, 20, the sheriff’s office reported:

Clark is charged with carjacking, robbery, conspiracy, malicious wounding, assault, vandalism and possession of burglary/robbery tools. Richardson is charged with carjacking, robbery, conspiracy, eluding, reckless driving and hit and run. Land is charged with carjacking, robbery, conspiracy and vandalism.

The three men are being held without bond at Rappahannock Regional Jail. Land was taken to the hospital briefly for medical attention to a dog bite.