TRY TO AVOID GAS STATIONS AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE YOUNG

'Fight or flight' | Teens fight off potential carjacking suspect at Texas gas station

Three teens were headed home from a quinceañera for curfew when a man approached them when they stopped for gas and tried to break into their car.

 

By Meredith Haas  

KENS 5

Sep 16, 2024

 

 

 

Try to avoid gas stations at night, especially if you’re young

 

SOMERSET, Texas — It was a frightening situation for three teenagers in Somerset over the weekend.

While stopping for gas just off loop 1604 Saturday night, they had to fight off a man they said tried to get into their car multiple times.

17-year-old Gideon Gomez and his friend knew something was off the second a man they described as having blood all over himself approached them Saturday night while pumping gas.

"It was very scary… But I knew I had to do something rather than nothing," Gomez said.

Reluctant to fight back, Gomez said they tried to help the man but felt his intentions weren’t good.

“He was looking at us and he turns his head to the handle…and he opens it…and as soon as he opens it… I reacted super fast," Gomez said.

Gomez's sister Savannah, said they never intended to hurt anyone but it just takes a couple seconds for anything to happen. Gomez said he was in a "fight of flight" mode.

"I was just like, 'Am I dreaming? Am I in an action movie' like what’s happening?” Savannah said.

Their mother Kristie Guerra, said she's forever grateful for how her son and his friend reacted.

“No one would have expected Gideon’s reaction…their reaction…but I’m so glad they reacted in that way," Guerra said.

KENS 5 spoke with the store clerk, Debra Alt, who said she'd seen the surveillance footage of that night. Alt said the same man who tried stealing the teen's car had already attempted to take another person's car just 30 minutes earlier and gotten in a fight with them.

“I’m getting chills just thinking about it…had that been my child," Alt said. "I’m glad they defended themselves and didn’t let him take the car because that’s still being abuse…that’s still being manipulated.”

Alt said the surveillance showed the man fight the suspect off and told him to leave but he didn’t and that’s when she saw him go after the kids.

"If you’ve got to fill up fill up beforehand just try to avoid gas stations at night especially if you’re young," Guerra said.