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The incident unfolded around 12:30 a.m. Friday when Port Jervis Police responded to a 911 call reporting a 67-year-old man had been assaulted in the parking lot of a senior housing complex, said Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden.
Officers arrived at the scene and learned that the victim had parked his motor vehicle outside the apartment complex where he was confronted by two men, one armed with a silver handgun. The victim was robbed of his personal property and then ordered into the trunk of his motor vehicle. The victim tried to resist and was assaulted by both men who struck him with the pistol and with their hands, Worden said
The men forced the victim inside the truck of his 2015 Subaru. The victim was able to free himself from the trunk using an emergency trunk release while the men were driving the vehicle from the lot and fled to a nearby residence where he reported the incident, the chief added.
The victim, who received injuries during this assault, was transported to Bon Secours Community Hospital for emergency treatment.
A bulletin was broadcast to area law enforcement agencies and the stolen vehicle was spotted around 1:38 a.m. by Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies on Route 211 in the Town of Wallkill.
Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle who failed to comply and pursued the vehicle for about five miles into the Town of Montgomery where the men crashed the vehicle and fled on foot until stopped by deputies, Worden said.
Arrested were Tranelle Drake, 28, and Justin White, 28, both of Port Jervis.
Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Town of Wallkill Police Department, Town of Montgomery Police and New York State Police.
The suspects were turned over to Port Jervis detectives who charged both men with robbery, kidnapping, criminal possession of a weapon, and grand larceny, all felonies, the chief said.
Drake was also charged with being a fugitive from justice for a warrant issued by the State of Pennsylvania for a parole violation.
Additional charges are pending by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office resulting from the pursuit and possession of the stolen motor vehicle.
Both men are being held without bond at the Orange County Jail.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting this case and assisting in the investigation.
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