A tragic incident unfolded at an ARCO gas station in Norco, California, where a carjacker took the life of 79-year-old Army veteran and grandfather, James “Jim” Norman. Norman was simply vacuuming out the back of his Chevrolet Trailblazer when Ryan Hewitt, 29, jumped into the front seat and drove off, with Norman desperately clinging to the backseat of the car. Witnesses who saw the carjacking unfold immediately called the police, but it was too late.
Norman was dragged for half a mile by the carjacker before he was eventually thrown from the vehicle. His crumpled body was found just a few miles from his home, and despite being rushed to the hospital, his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead. Norman’s daughter, Nicole Lauritsen, expressed her gratitude to the individuals who surrounded her father and protected his body after the tragic incident.
Lauritsen shared that her father had plans to meet for a meal, and she believes that the carjacker knew Norman was hanging on for his life but panicked and kept driving. Norman, who usually wore hearing aids but had taken them off at the time, likely didn’t even hear the carjacker enter the vehicle due to the noise of the vacuum.
Police were able to track down the carjacker, Hewitt, and he was arrested and charged with carjacking and murder. Norman lived a modest but adventurous life, serving in the Army and working various jobs, including construction, vehicle transport, and even as a pilot. A GoFundMe page was set up to assist with his funeral and burial costs, highlighting Norman’s passion for travel and work, as well as his energetic and authentic presence in everything he did.
