LCPD: Man assaulted truck owner; took victim’s keys, but not the truck

Police arrested a man accused of assaulting the owner of a truck and stealing the keys to the Chevy pickup.

51-year-old James B. Wright, of the 2500 block of El Camino Real, is charged with a third-degree felony count of robbery.

Investigators learned the 41-year-old owner of a Chevrolet pickup was at the Chevron gas station at 2645 S. Valley Drive on Thursday. Wright pulled in to the gas station and parked next to the victim. Witnesses told detectives Wright begin yelling at the 41-year-old man, repeatedly demanding he give him keys to the Chevy pickup.

The 41-year-old man refused to give Wright the keys. At that point, Wright then removed his belt and allegedly struck the victim with the buckle of the belt. Witnesses told police the victim fell to the ground and Wright struck him several times with his fists.

Wright allegedly reached into the man’s pocket, grabbed keys to the pickup and drove away in his own car. A witness to the incident called 911 and provided the license plate number to Wright’s vehicle.

Officers located the vehicle and Wright at his residence shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday. He was taken into custody without further incident. The victim was not seriously injured, investigators said.

Wright was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he’s initially being held without bond.