OLDSMAR, Fla. — Pinellas County deputies arrested a man who they say demanded keys from customers and attempted a carjacking on Saturday.
Deputies said around 1:35 p.m. on Saturday, 36-year-old Troy Johnson pulled up to a gas station at 3170 Tampa Road.
He then got out of his car, and into the vehicle of Kelly Mascavage, a local woman who was outside pumping gas. Once Johnson realized there were no keys inside the ignition, deputies say he then began demanding and threatening the victim to give him her keys.
"I kept explaining to him, like, this is my car. I was holding the key up, cause again, I didn’t know what was going on, I didn’t know what he knew, what he was going to do, finally I went around to where he was and he threatened me. He said 'if you don’t give me the key I’m going to hurt you,' and that’s when I ran into the Circle K store, crying, shaking,” said Mascavage.
Mascavage refused to hand over her keys and went inside the gas station to call 911.
Johnson then left the gas station on foot and went to a nearby Panera Bread. Officials said Johnson was pacing back and forth and was yelling at the manager and the customers inside.
He then demanded keys from someone inside the business, officials said. Johnson threatened the manager and eventually walked out.
When deputies arrived outside the Panera Bread, Johnson was attempting to carjack a Ford Fusion. He then ran around the vehicle to avoid deputies.
He aggressively tried to open the Ford Fusion's door before leaving on foot, officials said.
Deputies chased Johnson and deployed an electronic control weapon in an attempt to stop him.
Johnson was then secured by deputies and was provided medical attention by Oldsmar Fire Rescue.
Officials said Johnson was found to be under the influence of narcotics and was transported to a local hospital.
Johnson was charged with one count of carjacking, one count of false imprisonment, one count of attempted carjacking and one count of resisting without violence.
The victims were uninjured.
This is an ongoing investigation.
