Surveillance video shows bystanders stop carjacking at Pittsburgh shopping plaza after chase and crash

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A man is charged with leading a sheriff deputy on a chase, crashing on Banksville Road then trying to carjack an elderly man. 

Headlights and front-end fragments from a car crash can be found at the intersection of McMonagle Ave and Banksville Road. Video from Kuhn’s Market captures the moment the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office said 22-year-old Tyler Stewart T-boned someone on Wednesday night.

“He was speeding down Banksville Road, he ran a red light, ended up t-boning someone,” said Phill C, who was working at Banksville Plaza when the crash happened.  

“The guy who was running fled into Rite Aid, ran into the woods, ran out of the woods, ran into our parking lot and attempted to carjack an elderly couple,” Phil continued. 

After the crash, surveillance video shows someone believed to be Stewart running over to a silver car. Investigators say he tried to pull an elderly man out of the driver’s seat.

But witnesses wouldn’t stand for it. Two of them leaped into action.  

“They chased him. They ran across the street, they tackled him to the ground and they held him down until the police were able to get involved,” Phil explained

It all started when the sheriff’s office said an attempted traffic stop went left. They say the 22-year-old wouldn’t stop and started driving erratically and crashed. 

“The worst part about it in my opinion was the T-bone,” Phil said. 

In Stewart’s Jeep, deputies said they found a handgun, an assault-style rifle, a loaded clip and body armor.

People told KDKA-TV’s Mamie Bah while what happened was bad, there was some good.

“It was nice to see the local populous doing what they can to help,” Phil said. 

Stewart is in the Allegheny County Jail.