Non-verbal autistic man who was in backseat of car when it was stolen found safe

Authorities in New York said a non-verbal autistic man, who was in the backseat of a car when it was stolen, has been found safe. According to New York Post, the incident occurred in Brooklyn on Saturday night.

Police said the engine of the 2010 Mercedes Benz M35 was running and stationary when an unknown suspect entered the vehicle and drove away. 54-year-old Brandon Simeon was in the backseat of the car when the suspect sped off.

Authorities said Simeon was safely found in the wee hours of Sunday, adding that he was in the same vehicle when he was located. 

In related news, authorities in Missouri brought charges against a 32-year-old woman who allegedly pursued her sister’s stolen car and opened fire on two occupants after the vehicle crashed. In a press release, the St. Louis County Police Department said Francesca Jones was in her car with her three children when she spotted her sister’s 2020 Dodge Challenger a day after it was stolen, KSDK reported.

Jones ultimately pursued her sister’s stolen car before it hit a truck, police said, adding that the 32-year-old suspect also told them she attempted to bring the car to a halt by ramming it. The stolen Challenger later caught fire after crashing into the truck and veering off the road.

Jones is said to have approached the stolen vehicle and opened fire on the two occupants inside, causing one of them to return fire. Authorities who responded to the scene arrested Jones and retrieved a gun from her vehicle. 

She was charged with three counts of armed criminal action plus three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.