Hollywood police community service aid carjacked during crash investigation, cops say
.jpg "Derrick Dewayne Hill Jr. was arrested Monday on charges of carjacking after police say he took a community service police vehicle while the officer was conducting a traffic crash investigation.")
A Hollywood Police Community Service Officer was conducting a traffic crash investigation early Monday morning when a man got in her marked vehicle and took off on Interstate 95, authorities said.
Derrick Dewayne Hill Jr., 33, has been charged with robbery carjacking without a firearm or weapon, battery on an officer and unlawfully taking a law enforcement officer’s firearm, Hollywood Police added.
Around 1 a.m., the community service officer was working a crash when Hill opened her passenger side door, police said. She tried to close the door but he stood in the way.
Scared for her life, she ran from the car. Soon after, officers heard her screaming for help over the radio, Hollywood Police said.
As officers rushed to her location, she came back on the radio to say her Dodge Charger, worth about $30,000, was taken by Hill and that he was driving west on Hollywood Boulevard.
A police chase ensued as patrol cars followed the stolen Charger and Broward County Aviation Unit flew overhead, police say.
Refusing to stop, Hill jumped onto I-95 and hit speeds of more than 80 mph. Florida Highway Patrol were called into help.
Hill eventually pulled into the shoulder just north of West Palmetto Park Road and stopped. He opened the car door, but police say he refused to get out and put his hands up.
With the help of K9 Hawk, an officer eventually arrested him.
Hill was treated for injuries and taken to Memorial Regional Hospital.
A detective met Hill at the hospital to continue investigating what happened, but things quickly escalated.
While being restrained, Hill was able to grab hold of the detective’s forearm, pull him closer and begin to disengage the locking mechanism of his firearm holster, police said.
As another officer stepped in to control the situation, Hill struck him in the arm.
Hill continued to struggle after being told to stop and even lunged at the officers. He was subsequently tased.
After being tased the first time, Hill grabbed a stapler and threw it before being tased again, police said.
Shortly thereafter, several officers attempted to restrain Hill but to no avail as he continued to struggle — which led to him being tased for a third time.
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 7:32 PM.
