The Martin County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a New York man who said he had just left a substance abuse rehab facility. MCSO reports that 37-year-old Carlos Manuel Lozada told deputies he had left a drug and alcohol rehab facility in Stuart, Florida.
Then, he allegedly took an Uber to the Publix on Cove Road. Lozada allegedly told MCSO detectives that he needed to get home so he attacked a woman going from her car to the store.
Lozada is accused of pushing her, snatching her keys, jumping into her vehicle, and speeding away. MCSO was notified. Deputies located the stolen vehicle on Bridge Road. When Lozada refused to pull over, the deputy performed the PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle.
Following the PIT, Lozada reportedly came out of the vehicle and surrendered. MSCO says Lozada has a lengthy and violent criminal history, including fraud, burglary, and theft of credit cards just in Florida.
In New York, his history includes aggravated harassment, DUI, criminal contempt, robbery, and grand larceny. The victim was not physically injured. Once Lozada is released from the hospital, he will be booked on multiple felony charges.
Jay Skelton is an independent crime journalist with a passion for covering the uncovered and the under covered.