On February 22, 2000, Jake Dakota Robel fell victim to a carjacking. Jake was with his mother when she made a quick stop for food. She left Jake waiting in their running car, and Kim Davis took the opportunity to steal it. He pushed Jake out the door, but the boy was tangled in a seatbelt and trapped against the side of the vehicle. Jake’s mother was trying to free him when the car sped away. Other drivers reported that they heard the 6-year-old crying out for his mother’s help, hanging from the car, bouncing against the street, the curb, and the rear tire.
Several drivers managed to surround the stolen car and force it to stop, but Jake had already died, having been dragged for over four miles. Kim got out of the car, saw Jake’s body and said “I didn’t do that.” He tried to run away, but the other drivers pinned him to the ground until police arrived. A young boy from one of the pursuing vehicles, seeing Jake’s broken body lying on the street with most of his clothes torn off, placed a blanket over it.