ORLANDO, Fla. — Two men tried to carjack two women Wednesday night at a Publix parking lot, Orlando police said.
The victims told police one of the men threatened them with a knife.
The incident happened outside the Publix on East Central Boulevard across the street from Lake Eola.
"I just felt this presence coming up, and I thought it was a homeless person," said Laura Crain.
Crain said she and her friend were walking to her car in the Publix parking garage in downtown Orlando when one of the men called out to her.
“As he was calling, 'Ma'am,' you know, and I said, ‘I'm sorry. I can't help you tonight,’ and then he came right up to me and he was like, ‘Oh yes, you can,’" said Crain.
That's when Orlando police said Gary Young's approach turned criminal.
"He said, ‘Umm, give me your car,’ and I said, ‘I'm not giving you my car,’ and then I realized he had a knife, and I saw the knife and I realized it was serious," Crain said.
Crain said she noticed a second man moving in, and that's when she and her friend started yelling for help.
"I think they got a little spooked by that. I was moving, she was moving, started yelling for help. Someone tried to call. We were in the garage, no service," said Crain.
Crain and her friend gave police officers a description of the men.
Officers found Young, 44, and Austin Lyons, 25, nearby. Police said they matched the descriptions Crain gave them.
Crain said she recognized Young as the man who held the knife.
"It's not cool. It's not cool. Had it been an elderly person or something, I don't know, it could've been worse," said Crain.
Lyons was released from prison six months ago after serving time for burglary, grand theft and battery in Brevard County.
Three weeks later, he was arrested again on charges of kicking an officer during an arrest in May at his Paramount apartment near the Publix.
Orlando police said Lyons also hit their officer and tried to escape during booking.
Young was charged with attempted carjacking with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held in the Orange County Jail on $25,000 bail.
Lyons remains in the Orange County Jail without bail on charges of attempted carjacking with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a concealed weapon by a convicted felon, battery on a law enforcement officer, and resisting an officer with violence.