Teen beaten, left on side of road after test drive. Deputies arrest man they say took car
A 39-year-old man suspected of severely beating an 18-year-old and dumping his body on the side of a Graham road during a test drive of the victim’s car was arrested Thursday.
The victim posted an Audi Quattro online for $4,000 and agreed to meet with an interested buyer on Dec. 29.
Wary of meeting strangers, the victim arranged to meet in a public parking lot and brought along his grandfather.
When the potential buyer asked to test drive the car, the victim agreed and his grandfather stayed behind in the parking lot.
The grandfather called 911 when his grandson did not return.
The victim was found unconscious and seriously beaten after being thrown from his own car.
He has since undergone several surgeries.
His grandfather said the victim is missing a large portion of his skull and suffered several shattered facial bones and nerve damage.
The stolen Audi was found days later, but investigators did not immediately make an arrest.
On Wednesday, Pierce County sheriff’s deputies spotted the suspect’s vehicle in a Spanaway parking lot and stopped him. He was booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of first-degree robbery and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Prosecutors are reviewing potential charges against him.
This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 2:21 PM.
