Man Carjacked and Beaten By Strangers

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Story Published: Dec 2, 2008 at 6:37 PM PDT

By Steve Wellman

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The description is chilling: "He was covered in blood. His face was just absolutely mangled." A Good Samaritan, Amy Hansen, describes the horror of seeing a man stagger out of the darkness toward her car. At first she and her husband didn't understand.

"When he tried to get in the car I thought it was a mask, like he was made up and just trying to get in the car," says Hansen.

But they soon realized...he desperately needed help. It was the end of a horrible ordeal.

Steve Wellman is in downtown Yakima: "Just after midnight the victim was driving his car here along Union Street when he was forced to the side of the road by another car. Two men jumped out and attacked him. But it was just the beginning.

Later in Selah Wellman continues, "After taking him on a terrifying ride they beat him senseless, then dumped him right here by the side of the road in Selah."

The thugs took off with the victim's car. The Good Samaritans helped him to a gas station. Cops and paramedics were soon there. They rushed the man to the hospital. For now, not much more is known about him.

Lee Hansen explains, “I said ‘Como se llama?’ which is about all I know and he started talking".

Cops say the attackers were strangers and possible gang members.

"The person is saying he didn't know them," says Yakima Police Detective Scot Levno.

And that makes this crime all the more frightening.

Levno continues, "Stranger carjackings are extremely rare. I can't think of one in recent memory that didn't have some other note to the equation.”

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