Police say 81-year-old man fought off 39-year-old carjacker who was armed with knife

LINCOLN PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) - Barney Trusewicz, an 81-year-old retired postal worker, says he didn't think about his bad knees when he raced to his car after seeing that a stranger had jumped into it with his wife still sitting in the passenger seat.

Trusewicz, who had walked away for a moment to tell a gas station attendant to turn on the pump, opened the driver's side door and struggled with the heavily tattooed man who was armed with a long butcher knife.

The attempted carjacking happened Saturday around 6:30 p.m. in Lincoln Park and it was all caught on surveillance video.

The suspect has been identified as Christopher Bowens, 39, of Lincoln Park. Police say Bowen confessed and stated that he figured the elderly couple would be an easy target.

Police say the two men struggled for the keys to the car for about a minute before Bowens gave up and fled on foot.

Police arrested Bowens a few blocks away from the gas station.

Bowens has been charged with two counts of carjacking. He is being held without bond in the Wayne County Jail.

Investigators say Bowens was recently paroled and has a long criminal history that includes convictions for Breaking & Entering and Bank Robbery.