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Man jumps on hood of car to stop thief from stealing it, police say

A man jumped on the roof of his car to try to stop a thief from stealing it, police said.

State police said multiple people called into 911 about a disturbance on a fairly rural road in Derry Township.

Police said the incident apparently began when a man offered to give several people a ride to Latrobe.

That driver dropped off the three passengers in Latrobe, but police said one passenger, James Oquinn, refused to get out of the car and wanted a ride back home.

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Oquinn then took the keys from the ignition and hopped in the driver's seat, and so did the driver, police said. Oquinn then jumped into the driver's seat and tried driving away.

The man who owns the car jumped onto the hood, and for about a quarter of a mile, witnesses said, he was hanging on while Oquinn drove upwards of 30-40 mph toward the area of Route 22 in New Alexandria.

"The owner of the vehicle is laying on the front hood of the car holding on for dear life while Mr. Oquinn is swerving the vehicle back and forth trying to shake him. It was depicted as you, what you would see in a movie," said State Trooper Steve Limani.

Police said the owner of the car was not hurt.

State police found Oquinn near the Sheetz in New Alexandria. He was arrested and he claims the driver pointed a knife at him while telling him to get out of the car.