LANCASTER — An 18-year-old Columbia man accused in a carjacking that occurred Thursday was taken into custody Friday morning near the 6th Ward Park in Lancaster, according to Lancaster Police.
Lamont Rogers is charged with robbery of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, and theft in the incident, which occurred Thursday afternoon on the 600 block of East Frederick St.
According to police, Rogers took the vehicle by force at about 12:54 p.m. He allegedly approached a 2015 Subaru Outback, which was parked on the side of the street waiting to pick up a passenger, police say. The victim, an adult woman, was outside the vehicle assisting the passenger when she was approached by the suspect, later identified as Rogers.
According to police, Rogers asked the victim for directions to a Lancaster street, then grabbed the vehicle’s keys from her and got into the driver’s seat. The victim got into the front passenger seat in an attempt to stop Rogers from driving off, prompting him to punch the victim with a closed fist, police say. The blow knocked the victim out of the open passenger door as Rogers drove away, according to police.
Rogers was last seen driving on N. Reservoir Street, police say. The victim sustained minor injuries from being thrown from the vehicle and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Police investigating the incident say they used footage from Lancaster Safety Coalition cameras and other investigative tactics to determine Rogers was the suspect.
According to police, investigators identified Rogers and learned he was enrolled in classes at Community School Southeast at the Buhrle Industrial Park on the 1000 block of New Holland Avenue.
Friday morning, officers learned Rogers and two other students had left the school and were seen on East Ross Street. They went to the area, found Rogers, and took him into custody, police say. The other students with him were returned to CSE.
The Subaru Outback was recovered in Columbia, police say.
