MUM’S CARJACKING TERROR
FIONA Murakami has told of her terrifying struggle with a carjacker in front of her Cranbrook home. She is pictured with her daughter Ebony and boyfriend Gauvan Santiago, and son Levi who were all involved in the incident.
AS FIONA Murakami was punching the face of a carjacker trying to take her family car she was hoping she had given her kids enough time to escape.
Her 16- year- old daughter was in the back seat, next to her 17- year- old boyfriend, stunned at the attack taking place.
Fiona’s 12- year- old son, who had hopped out of the car moments before to open the gate when they pulled into the driveway, watched on in horror.
“I just had to try and buy some time to get the kids out of the car,” Ms Murakami recalled.
“He ( attacker) was actually reversing with us all in the car.
“I said, ‘ get out, get out, I’ve got kids’.
“He said, ‘ yeah, I’ve got kids, too’.”
The 45- year- old teacher said the incident happened “so fast” but in slow motion at the same time. A white ute screeched to a halt in front of them before a man hopped out, walked over and ripped her car door open.
She said the man kept screaming at her to “get the f--- out” as the two teens tried to get out of the moving vehicle.
Ms Murakami was left hanging on to the car as it reversed out of the driveway of her Fitzroy St home in Cranbrook about 8.20pm on Wednesday.
The door of her silver Mitsubishi ASX slammed into her as the thief took off.
She was left with a cracked rib and soft tissue damage to her shoulder, but was worried about the psychological effects of the incident on her children.
“I kept saying to them ‘ you’ve got to get out, you’ve got to get out’,” Ms Murakami said.
She warned other drivers to remain wary, as she had only unlocked the car for a brief moment to allow her son to open the gate.
It was enough time for what Townsville CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Hicks said had been a “random” and “high- profile” offence to occur.
Detectives moved quickly to nab the suspect after the car was tracked and found abandoned at the intersection of Black River Rd and the Bruce Hwy.
By 12.30pm yesterday a 36- year- old Kirwan man had been arrested and charged with one count of robbery with violence, one count of possess tainted property and one count of stealing, in relation to an earlier fuel drive-off incident.
He is due to appear in Townsville Magistrates Court today.