A Minnetonka man is making a plea to city residents to show up en masse at Monday’s Minnetonka City Council meeting after his wife was carjacked in their driveway last month while she was unloading groceries. Their 13-year-old son was also attacked as he called 911.
The crime was captured on camera from Craig Beason’s garage and from a neighbor’s security system.
“For everyone that is concerned about the level of crime in our neighborhood. If you want to take action join my wife and myself Monday, Sept. 18th at 6:30 p.m. for the Minnetonka City Council meeting. My wife and my 13-year-old son were assaulted, carjacked and then they tried to run both of them over with her car and the stolen car they arrived in. This all happened in our driveway during the day, and they followed her from the grocery store,” Beason wrote in a NextDoor post.
He told Alpha News he believes people speaking up will be the only way things change.
“What I’m finding out is getting voters to show up in numbers is the only way we are going to impact change. It may sound like a weak attempt, but if we load that room up with people I would hope someone would take notice,” Beason said.
Beason has been in contact with the Minnetonka Police Department and the mayor’s office, who acknowledged this is a “huge problem,” Beason said.
In fact, Beason said when he went to retrieve his wife’s stolen car, there were three stolen vehicles in the Minnetonka impound lot “on just a random Thursday,” he said.
He said his wife is still traumatized about what went on weeks later.
“If she goes to the store, there is still trauma and my wife is a very strong woman. I would have never thought it would affect someone like her,” he said. “I’m doing all I can to recruit people to show up. I’m telling people, quit bitching about it and let’s just go do it.”
The charges
A 21-year-old man, Romell Roshode Lewis, has been charged with first-degree carjacking, aggravated robbery, and burglary in the case. He is also wanted in a series of metro area burglaries and car thefts. The charges describe Lewis as a “serious risk to public safety,” saying he appears to have “chosen and followed” Beason’s wife back to her home.
The complaint states Lewis and his accomplices confronted Beason’s wife and son in their driveway Aug. 17 around 10:50 a.m.
The charges state:
“On August 17, 2023, at approximately 10:50 a.m., a known adult female (hereinafter ‘Victim 1’) had just returned to her home … in the City of Minnetonka, County of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, in her SUV, which she left in the driveway. While carrying groceries into the home, she looked out the window and observed a grayish sedan occupied by multiple males pull up in front of her home. Several males wearing hoodies which were pulled over their faces to conceal their identity ran up the driveway toward her SUV. Victim 1 exited her home through the service door into her attached garage and observed one of the males in the driver’s seat of her husband’s vehicle, which was parked in the garage. The male was unable to start the car in the garage and ran back to the suspect vehicle, which was parked in front of the home. Victim 1 ran to the suspect vehicle to confront the males. At this time, two other males exited the suspect sedan and attacked her, dragging her away from the vehicle. This confrontation was captured on a neighbor’s security camera. One of the males who exited the vehicle and attacked Victim 1 was wearing a very distinctive hoodie (Lewis).
Victim 1 yelled out to her 13-year-old son (hereinafter ‘Victim 2’) to call the police. Victim 2 exited the garage onto the driveway while holding his phone. The male with the distinctive hoodie ran from Victim 1 over to Victim 2. The male then shoved the child to the ground and attempted to take Victim 2’s phone. The male started dragging the child while trying to take the phone but was unable to overpower the child. Victim 2 sustained scrapes on his body and suffered physical pain during the attack.
While Victims 1 and 2 were being assaulted, another male entered Victim 1’s vehicle, which was still in the driveway, and backed onto the street. At this time, the remaining males ran back to the suspect sedan. The male with the distinctive hoodie who assaulted Victim 1 and 2 entered the front passenger door. The suspects then sped off in the suspect sedan and Victim 1’s vehicle, almost hitting Victim 1 in the process.
Victims were eventually able to call the police, who were dispatched to the area. While en route, officers intercepted the fleeing vehicles and began a pursuit. Both vehicles were fleeing at a high speed, weaving in and out of oncoming traffic, and running red lights. Eventually, the pursuit was terminated for public safety.
At approximately 11:20 a.m., about 30 minutes after the incident, officers were able to track Victim 1’s vehicle via GPS to a Walgreens in Edina. Edina and Minnetonka officers arrived at the Walgreens and observed the suspect vehicle and Victim’s vehicle in the parking lot. Officers observed several males standing around the suspect vehicle. However, before officers were able to contact the males, they fled in the suspect vehicle.”
As of Friday evening, Lewis was not in custody.
Liz Collin
Liz Collin has been a truth-teller for 20 years as a multi-Emmy-Award-winning reporter and anchor. Liz is a Worthington, Minnesota native who lives in the suburbs with her husband, son and loyal lab.
