Teen charged with carjacking at McDonald’s. A camera in the car took his picture, cops say

A teenager is facing a charge of carjacking after deputies say he drove off in a stolen vehicle earlier this month.

Around 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 17, a man was video chatting on his tablet outside a Brandon Boulevard McDonald’s when he heard someone try to drive his car away, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The 2009 Honda Accord had been left running when a 17-year-old Tampa boy got inside. The owner of the vehicle tried to stop the teen from getting away and was dragged for a short distance before he let go of the vehicle.

Two Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officers were nearby and saw the Honda as it tore off from the scene, operating recklessly, according to the sheriff’s office.

The officers tried to make a traffic stop, but the teen kept going and threw the owner’s tablet into the road.

The vehicle was found abandoned at the Hard Rock Casino the next morning.

But officials were able to get a clear look at the teen’s face once the car was recovered.

An ignition interlock device was installed on the Honda, which requires the driver to provide a breath sample to operate the vehicle. The teen gave multiple breath samples to drive the car and photos of him were captured by the camera installed in the ignition device, according to the sheriff’s office.

The teen was charged with carjacking and violation of probation.

The vehicle’s owner suffered minor injuries when he was dragged.

This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 9:56 AM with the headline "Teen charged with carjacking at McDonald’s. A camera in the car took his picture, cops say."