POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – The brother of a woman killed as police tried to pull over a group of armed carjacking suspects is asking why it took authorities so long to stop the suspects.
The chase began Friday in Hallandale Beach and ended at around 11 p.m. after the suspects crashed into a car driven by Patricia Schmelz, 68, in Pompano Beach.
Deputies said as Hallandale Beach police chased him, the 17-year-old driver ran a red light exiting Interstate 95 onto West Copans Road, hitting and killing Schmelz, who was headed to work.
“(It’s) a complete shock,” the victim’s brother, Glenn Schmeltz, said. “I mean, it’s just, it still hasn’t settled in. It’s like a numbness.”
The 17-year-old, who hasn’t been identified, was one of six people in the Dodge Charger.
“That should have never happened to her,” Glenn Schmeltz said. “She had no idea that was happening.”
One adult, Cody Clark, 20, was among those arrested.
Authorities said it appears the carjacking victim had been set up to be carjacked and robbed. The group forced him to take off his clothes, beat him and took the car, police said.
Schmeltz, speaking to Local 10 News from New Jersey, said he has many questions.
“She’s my sister. I have a brother, a sister. My brother is deceased. Now my sister’s deceased. I’m the only one left,” Glenn Schmeltz said. “These guys were out on robbery. They hijack the car and the police had chased him for half an hour. Give up. You know, you’re invariably going to have a crash. Somebody’s going to get hurt — who happened to be my sister.”
As for the driver, Glenn Schmeltz said, “This guy will probably be on my mind for the rest of my life.”
“I love (my sister) and I miss her,” he said. “I mean, it’s going to be tough. We were getting we were getting ready to go on vacation in September.”
Police said they recovered five guns from the car. All of the suspects face serious charges.