Sebring Man ID'ed As Carjacking Suspect

Police released new information Tuesday from their investigation of the carjacking of a 1997 Dodge pickup truck belonging to a Miami man, who picked up a hitchhiker at about 11 p.m. Sunday at the Race Trac gas station.

The victim, a resident of Miami-Dade County, stopped at the Race Trac gas station, located at 1625 U.S. 27 S., in Avon Park, to fuel his truck.

While at the Race Trac he was approached by a man who appeared to be in his 20s. The man asked the victim for a ride in his truck north on U.S. 27.

The victim agreed and the man got in as a passenger.

While heading north the man told the victim to turn east onto West Bell Street, telling the victim he lived in that area.

Avon Park Police Chief Matt Doughney said Tuesday he would never recommend that anyone allow a person or people they do not know into their home or their vehicle, because that's when the victim was taken for a ride.

The alleged carjacker got as far as South Florida Avenue and West Bell Street, where he pulled out a sharp weapon, pressed it against the victim's abdomen and ordered the victim to get out of the truck, or he would stab him.

The victim stopped the truck and got out. While exiting the pickup the victim armed himself with a cutting instrument of his own in an attempt to defend himself. The carjacker left the pickup on foot, taking the truck's keys with him, according to police.

Police Sgt. Marc Wilbur was patrolling the area and reportedly saw a disturbance. He contacted the newly armed victim, who was highly agitated.

After some convincing, the victim surrendered the weapon to Wilbur, who still hadn't sorted out what had happened.

Once the weapon was surrendered the victim explained to Wilbur that he had been carjacked and described the direction the man left in.

While police tried to find the suspect, he doubled back, returned to the pickup truck with the keys and drove away. The truck was listed as stolen in the national crime database.

Trigg Hess Deweese, 28, 4249 Shad Drive, Sebring, reportedly was captured in Madison County by the Madison County Sheriff's Office operating the stolen truck.

He was arrested by the Madison County Sheriff's Office and charged there with grand theft auto.

Deweese reportedly was on probation until 2013 for a 2003 home invasion.

The victim of carjacking identified Deweese on Tuesday as the person responsible for the carjacking.

Deweese was charged with armed carjacking, a life felony, as a result and is in custody at the Madison County Sheriff's Office detection facility without bond, awaiting extradition to Highlands County.