MORGANTON, N.C. — Police in Morganton said a Bradley Sain was arrested after he allegedly assaulted a man in front of his family while on a crime spree tied to multiple business break-ins east of downtown.
[ READ MORE: Suspect’s car theft attempt thwarted by manual transmission ]
Abel Mejia said that his family had attended church and had gone to the restaurant to eat dinner last month.
When the attack happened, his first thoughts were of his wife and his young children
For more than two weeks, police in Morganton have been working to identify this man who they said tried to steal a family’s car outside a restaurant on East Fleming.
In a video, the suspect punches the father in the face and then gets in the car to steal it.
Mejia spoke with Channel 9 by phone about the moment of the attack. Channel 9’s partners at Telemundo interpreted the conversation.
Mejia said he is worried about his daughter because he thinks his daughter was traumatized. During the incident, he said that his daughter started screaming, “My papa, my father, my father.”
Police said the carjacking attempt failed because the suspect didn’t know how to drive a stick shift.
The attacker then threw his cellphone against the restaurant in frustration.
Police linked that same suspect to business break-ins at a used car dealership and auto repair shops in the area where they said he tried to get into two dozen different cars.
At one point, he ditched some of his clothes and police said they could see tattoos on both legs and his arms, including a spider web on an elbow.
“I believe in justice here, but I also believe in justice from the heaven,” Mejia said prior to the arrest. “We believe in the word of God, and we know God is going to do justice for all.”
That father also said he is ready to forgive the man for what he has done.
Sain denied any involvement when he was being escorted to a Caldwell County magistrate.
He is, however, facing up to 30 charges, including attempted common law robbery, simple assault, and attempted breaking into a building.
VIDEO: Suspect’s car theft attempt thwarted by manual transmission
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