JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — Two men with previous felony charges were charged in connection with a carjacking that nearly killed a man in Jefferson County.
Brandon VanDoren, 23, and Matthew Carver, 27, were indicted in federal court Thursday in connection with a May carjacking.
A press release from the Department of Justice said VanDoren and Carver stole a car at a gas station in Jefferson County. As they were driving away — with VanDoren in the stolen car and Carver in the car that they arrived in — the owner saw them and ran after his car. The release said VanDoren ran the man over, nearly killing him, as they sped off the parking lot.
Officers found the two cars a short time later and began a high-speed chase that ended when Carver lost control and crashed at the on-ramp from Highway M to northbound Interstate 55. Carver tried to run off, but deputies said they were able to catch him after a struggle.
VanDoren and Carver led police on a high-speed chase. Carver crashed his car and was arrested. Police found VanDoren in a hotel room the next day. They said he had a gun and drugs on him at the time of the arrest.
VanDoren was indicted on one count of carjacking causing serious bodily injury and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He could face 25 years in prison for the carjacking charge.
Carver was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The maximum sentence for that charge is 10 years in prison.
