MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An accused carjacker is facing charges after police said he carjacked a man and his friends, only to find that the victim wouldn’t let him get away that easily.
Tommy Cochran, 46, faces charges of carjacking, evading arrest, especially aggravated kidnapping, reckless endangerment, and disregarding a traffic signal.
According to the police affidavit, just after midnight on Sat. Aug. 6, 2022, a Memphis Police officer was on Mount Moriah headed to a call on Getwell Road when he spotted a white Kia Forte with a man on the trunk against the read window, gripping to stay on. The officer said the driver wouldn’t stop until they got to Mount Moriah and Quince Road.
Police said the driver, identified as Cochran, was detained, while they spoke with the man on the back of the car, who was not injured. According to the affidavit, the victim said he was on the phone with police and Cochran had carjacked he and his friends at knifepoint at the Exxon in the 3400 block of Park Avenue. Investigators said they confirmed that story with the victim’s friends, who said they got out of the car and ran.
The victim told investigators Cochran made him drive to another location and pulled him out of the car, but when Cochran tried to take off, the victim said “I jumped on the trunk of the car because I worked hard to buy it.”
Investigators said Cochran admitted to the carjacking and had two loaded magazines and a knife on him when he was arrested.
Cochran is charged but was taken to the hospital after complaining of chest pains.
