He took the car for a test drive and pulled a gun on the sales employee, deputies say

The man appeared suspicious when he walked into a car sales lot in Parkland Saturday and asked to test drive a vehicle.

After deciding the customer didn’t look like the photograph on his driver’s license, the salesman decided to accompany him on the test drive.

They didn’t make it far.

Within a few minutes, the salesman asked the customer to return to the car lot.

“This is the end of the road,” the customer responded, then demanded the salesman’s cell phone and wallet, according to charging papers.

He allegedly pulled out a gun and the salesman fled.

On Tuesday, Pierce County sheriff’s deputies spotted the stolen vehicle and tried to pull it over.

The driver nearly crashed into a home before stopping and fleeing on foot.

He was taken into custody after being tackled at the end of a short foot pursuit.

Deputies said they found a loaded .357 revolver the suspect is believed to have thrown while being chased. He wore an empty gun holster on his right hip when arrested.

A bag with the suspect’s name was found inside the stolen vehicle, records show. A stolen credit card was inside.

On Wednesday, the 28-year-old suspect was charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, theft of a motor vehicle, second-degree identity theft, second-degree possessing stolen property and obstructing a law enforcement officer.

He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.

Earlier this year, the suspect pleaded guilty to attempted unlawful possession of a controlled substance after heroin was found inside his vehicle.