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CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Elderly man confronts car thief in action, nearly crushed

Posted at 10:14 AM, Nov 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-15 12:14:35-05

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    Kansas City, KS (KCTV/KSMO) — As if stealing a car isn’t enough, a 75-year-old man on a scooter nearly got mowed down in the process.

It happened Tuesday morning in Kansas City, KS.

Joe Smith has five stints in his heart. He helps at JGS Auto, his son’s business, just to keep busy and now this.

“I just come down here five or six days a week, hang out and they buy me lunch,” said Smith.

Smith had back surgery as well as heart surgery, hence the scooter to get around.

He says a man came asking about a used car.

“He looked at it. He said, ‘Can I hear it run?’ I said yes. So, I went and got the keys,” explained Smith.

Smith led the way and the man followed.

“I started it up, letting it warm up a little bit. I said, ‘I’ll go back and get the D tags,’” explained Smith.

Before he could make it to the office, he heard a crash.

“I raised my hands. I said, ‘Stop! You’re hitting the car,’” said Smith.

He hit not one, but two cars trying to get out then hit a third while he hit Smith.

“If I hadn’t moved the little bit I did, he’d have hit me square on,” proclaimed Smith.

Smith says he wasn’t trying to block the car. He was only there five seconds before the man sped up and ran over Smith’s scooter, hitting Smith’s leg and arm as he took off.

“Knocked me sideways. I thought I was going to fall clear over but I didn’t,” said Smith.

A piece of his scooter is torn off but it’s still going as is Smith.

“I’ve had to work hard all my 75 years and I ain’t planning on changing now,” explained Smith.

As for the man that got away, Smith has some advice for him.

“The way he’s going now, if he don’t change his life, he’s never going to make it to Heaven. He’s going to spend place in the lower part, (laughs)” advised Smith.

His son, the shop’s owner, says the stolen car is a 2010 gray Ford Fusion with no license plates and a big “S” on the back.

Police are aware.

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