Hitchhiker Bashes Missoula Driver in Head With Flashlight After Receiving Ride
Police are searching for a suspect accused of attacking a couple after they offered to give him a ride in their car at around 2:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
"A male and female reported that they had been approached while they were in a casino in the 1200 block of West Broadway by an unknown male who asked them for a ride and said he wanted to go somewhere on 3rd street," said Missoula Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh. "The male and female did provide him with a ride, however, a short time into the ride, the unknown male who was in the backseat began striking the driver over the head with a flashlight."
The passenger made difficult-to-decipher demands and, after repeatedly hitting the male driver in the head, escaped after the driver pulled over on Liberty Lane.
"He made some kind of demand, that the female passenger thought might be a demand for their money," Welsh said. "The driver actually pulled the vehicle over and the suspect from the back seat jumped out and ran off. Fortunately, the driver was not hurt [badly] and he refused medical attention."
Police were able to identify a suspect by looking at surveillance video at the casino. The suspect is described as a white male, 5’7”, weighing about 155 pounds with brown hair and green eyes. Police have not released the identity if the suspect because charges have not yet been filed.