Florida tow truck driver pepper-sprayed as he hooked up car in St. Pete, cops say

A tow truck driver who was repossessing a car was pepper-sprayed by the vehicle’s owner, who then took his phone, wallet and keys and forced the driver to let go of his car to get the items back, arrest reports state.

The incident occurred about 11:20 a.m. Jan. 31 on the 1300 block of 58th Street North. The man who police said attacked the driver, Jorge Jesus Cornejo, 47, of Orlando, was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on Sunday on charges of strong-arm robbery, burglary and criminal mischief.

According to an arrest affidavit written by St. Petersburg police, the tow truck driver had hooked Cornejo’s vehicle to his truck as part of the repossession. Cornejo then ordered the driver to unhook it and said: “If you try to take it I am going to hurt you,” the affidavit states.

Cornejo pepper-sprayed the driver in the face, then reached into the truck through a window and took his wallet, phone and keys — and also tried to take his computer, which was mounted to the inside of the truck, the affidavit states.

Cornejo told the driver that to get his items back, he had to unhook the vehicle, which he did. Cornejo got into his vehicle and started to drive off, then tossed the driver’s cellphone out the window, causing the screen to break, the affidavit states.

Cornejo was being held Tuesday on $20,000 bail. An assistant public defender has been appointed to represent him and has entered a not guilty plea on his behalf, records show.