A man was arrested after he allegedly carjacked an off-duty SEPTA worker at gunpoint, threatened a gas station attendant while pretending to be a police officer and finally crashed the stolen vehicle.
The suspect, identified as Marquan Pitts, 24, allegedly carjacked an off-duty SEPTA maintenance worker at gunpoint around 4 a.m. Sunday on 4th and Spring Garden streets. The worker was not injured during the incident.
Pitts then drove the stolen vehicle, a gray Dodge Challenger, into New Jersey at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour and continued down the Atlantic City Expressway to the Farley Service Plaza, investigators said. After getting gas, Pitts allegedly showed his gun to an attendant while claiming to be a police officer.
"I can't even imagine what was going through his mind doing that this morning," said Dominique DeMichael, a witness. "It's crazy."
Pitts then drove back into Philadelphia and tried to travel down the narrow Mercy Street and onto 8th Street, police said. At that point however he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a parked Nissan Altima on South 8th Street early Sunday afternoon, according to investigators. He was apprehended by police a short time later.
"I'm really glad there were no kids or elderly people out here," DeMichael said. "Could have been a lot worse."
Pitts is charged with robbery, impersonating a police officer and other offenses.
