ORLANDO, Fla. – A man was taken into custody early Monday after he carjacked a limousine driver and crashed the limo into a building in downtown Orlando, police said.
Police said they were flagged down by the limo driver in front of Gitto's Pizza around 1:35 a.m. The driver said that a man, identified Monday afternoon as Keith Cormier, 32, had gotten inside his vehicle then punched him in the head repeatedly when he tried to get him out, an arrest affidavit said.
Cormier got inside the victim's 2005 Ford Excursion after he knocked the victim to the ground, police said. The limo driver suffered some cuts, but is expected to be OK, police said.
Orlando police said witnesses spotted Cormier driving the SUV going the wrong way on nearby Pine Street.
Officers said the driver turned around before they got behind him in an unmarked pickup truck.
Police told News 6 that they were going to wait until they got to a less crowded area before attempting a traffic stop, but before that could happen, a man tried to open the door to the vehicle and Cormier reversed course and slammed into the unmarked police truck.
Police said Cormier then sped forward before crashing into a tree, planter and the side of the City Arts Factory, which sustained minor damage. The two police officers and a bystander pinned Cormier down so he could be placed under arrest, the affidavit said.
Prior to the carjacking, Cormier had been kicked out of the Bullitt Bar on Pine Street and got into an altercation with a security guard at The Plaza, police said. Witnesses told police that Cormier crashed into two unoccupied vehicles before police made contact with him, according to the report.
It is believed the man was under the influence.
Cormier has been charged with carjacking.
Stay with News 6 and ClickOrlando.com for updates on this developing story.