81-year-old fights off carjacker in North Carolina

GASTONIA, N.C. — An 81-year-old man parked at a gas station won a struggle with a carjacking suspect in North Carolina.

Clearance Jones said that he is still hurting from a tug of war after a man tried to yank him out of his car, according to WSOC-TV.

Clearance Jones told Channel 9′s Ken Lemon that he is still hurting from that tug of war after a man tried to yank him out of his car. https://t.co/yF6yrweyF4
— WSOCTV (@wsoctv) July 17, 2022

The incident began after 30-year-old Jared Clinton fled from police in a stolen vehicle in Gastonia. During the chase, the suspect tried to ditch the stolen car and carjack a second at a Citgo gas station, police said.

According to WSOC, Jones was getting out of his Kia when Clinton grabbed him through the window.

“He was cussing, and he tried to come to snatch my door on the right side,” Jones told WSOC. “When he went to pull it, I pulled it. I just got so mad. And whatever it was, I just tried to do the best I can.”

“If it wasn’t for the Lord I don’t know what would have happened”
An 81 yo driver managed to shake off a 30 yo suspected carjacker at a Gastonia gas station. Clarence Jones said the man reached in his car and grabbed him by the shirt. Jones quick moves led to an arrest. pic.twitter.com/rAiky7pnGD
— Ken (@kenlemonWSOC9) July 18, 2022

Jones said he threw his car in reverse, stopped hard, and pulled forward. The move caused Clinton to lose his grip on the vehicle. He was later taken into custody by police.

Jones said he has lived in Gastonia for 50 years and never had anything like this happen to him before.

Police said Clinton is in jail on $250,000 bail.