OCSO: Man carjacks 72-year-old woman, leads deputies on chase

OCOEE, Fla. — A 43-year-old man is in custody after deputies say he carjacked a woman after she offered to give him a ride, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said.

Todd Erskine unsuccessfully tried to carjack an 82-year-old woman in the Home Depot parking lot at 7022 West Colonial Drive around 3:15 p.m., deputies said.

After failing in that attempt, Erskine solicited a ride from a 72-year-old woman in a different part of the parking lot.

Deputies said Erskine told the woman that he needed help as he got into her 2006 Sienna minivan.

"Something about his daughter being sick or something and he needed to go to her, and, so, she was going to take him," the victim's daughter Andrea said.

The victim drove Erskine for about 10 minutes following his instructions turn by turn, deputies said.

When she reached the intersection of Elm Drive and Pinedale Avenue, Erskine ordered the woman out of the vehicle.

When she refused, he hit her across the face with a gun and forced her out, investigators said.

Erskine is accused of driving away while the victim was still holding onto the minivan, deputies said.

Deputies then pursued the van on the 408, catching up with it near the Hiawassee Exit.

Erskine faces charges of carjacking, deputies said.

The victim was seriously injured in the carjacking, her daughter told Channel 9.

"She just was being nice and she was trying to help someone, and it backfired on her," Andrea said. "She's stable. She's going to be OK, but she needs surgery and, so, let's just keep her in prayer because God's not done with her yet."

Erskine was being held without bond at the Orange County Jail.

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