A College of William and Mary football player was beaten and robbed during a car hijacking outside of his apartment at approximately 5 a.m. Friday, June 12.
The student was leaving Conway Garden Apartments in James City County for football practice when he was struck in the head with a firearm by one of two assailants, according to WVEC-TV.
One suspect then allegedly beat the student, took items off of his person and drove away in the student’s red 2008 Dodge Charger.
The other assailant drove away in a black Dodge Charger believed to have been stolen earlier in the morning.
The victim was able to describe the assailant who beat him, and a sketch was released later that day. Police in James City County, York County, Hampton and Newport News then issued warrants for the arrest of 19-year-old Virginia resident Spencer Montez Stover for carjacking, abduction and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Wednesday evening, Stover’s mother brought her son as well as 18-year-old Taquan Brown, whom police believe was with Stover during the attack on the student, to James City County Police.
According to authorities, this carjacking may be connected to other similar crimes committed on the peninsula. This suspicion was further supported when police found items from similar attacks in the area in the student’s recovered car.
An hour before the attack, a similar carjacking occurred in Hampton. An assailant stole a black Dodge Charger, the same car authorities believe the attackers used in the player’s carjacking.
On June 7, another carjacking took place in York County outside of the Four Seasons apartment complex. At 4 a.m., four men, two in possession of handguns, approached a male victim demanding money. When the victim refused, one of the suspects shot him in the leg, and all four assailants fled the scene.
A College spokesman said the student is recovering from the attack.
“We were concerned after the fact for his health and his safety,” Assistant Athletics Director Pete Clawson said. “Should he have any issues, we will be here to provide any services for him we can both academically and athletically, just as we would do for any athlete.”