APOPKA, Fla. – A woman was carjacked outside her home in Apopka Monday, which led to a police chase before the suspect was arrested, authorities said.
Apopka Police Chief Michael McKinley said the suspect, identified Monday afternoon as Cedrick Gant, 27, approached the victim at 9:20 a.m. near her home in the Arbor Ridge Subdivision on Lester Road and stole her vehicle.
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The victim's neighbor said the woman came home from work because she forgot something and that Grant followed her, confronting her in the driveway with a rifle.
The victim's husband called 911 to report the theft.
"She pulled into the driveway, somebody came up behind her, and took the car," he told the 911 dispatcher.
When dispatch asked what type of weapon the man had he said, "It was a freakin' machine gun!"
Police later confirmed a green military assault rifle was recovered from the stolen vehicle.
Officers caught up with Gant on southbound Vick road and Old Dixie Highway, where a chase ensued, MicKinley said.
At one point, Gant drove the stolen vehicle the wrong way on Vick Road, McKinley said.
"He led us on a chase, he lost some tires, some of the tires were flat on the car," McKinley said.
Gant abandoned the car and fled on foot into a home, police said. The residents in the home fled, according to police.
News 6 spoke to the residents of that home who said they woke up to police outside their home demanding Gant come out.
"They told the guy like 12 times to come out," Carl Foster said. "He did not come out, they sent the dog in and cleared the house."
Foster said he felt lucky because the situation could have been much worse.
"He could have killed us or held us hostage, but he didn't," Foster said.
While inside the home, Gant stole a change of clothes and climbed out of a window into the woods, police said.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office K-9s and Apopka police K-9's found the man in the woods near the home, and police said they arrested him without incident.
Gant was the only person arrested. He was taken to an area hospital to be treated for his injuries before being taken to the Orange County Jail.