Police: Man with assault rifle carjacks woman in Apopka

APOPKA, Fla. — A man with an assault rifle carjacked a woman Monday morning, the Apopka Police Department said.

The carjacking was at Sugarsand Court in Apopka, police said.

"When she went to get out of her car, she was confronted by a black male carrying what appeared to be some sort of assault rifle. She got out of the car and ran into the house. The black male took the car from the residence and fled the area," said Chief Mike McKinley with Apopka Police Department.

Officers chased Cedric Gant, 37, for several miles on South Orange Blossom Trail, Apopka police Sgt. Kim Walsh said.

Gant sped and drove in the wrong direction during a portion of the pursuit, Walsh said.

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Police said Gant crashed the stolen car into a police cruiser after an officer performed a "pit" maneuver that stops a vehicle by causing it to spin.

"I look out the rearview mirror, and I see a car fishtailing all the way down the street going 50 to 60 mph. All of a sudden, he swerved and almost hit the debris on the right-hand side, and then he swerved back and I took off to try to get out of his way," said George Clayton who said he was sideswiped by the suspect.

Investigators said Gant ran into a nearby home on Suncrest Drive and stole a cellphone and changed clothes before running away. Police said the family in the home was uninjured.

Gant was found hiding under a couch that was in nearby woods and was taken into custody, Walsh said.

Watch below of Gant taken to jail:

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