LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — A man is facing charges in connection to a deadly carjacking that happened in Sterling Saturday morning.
According to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, the carjacking happened in the 2100 block of Towncenter Plaza shortly before 11:45 a.m.
Investigators say 54-year-old Melody Waldecker died when she was struck by her own car as a carjacker was leaving after taking the stolen vehicle. Waldecker's son told WUSA9 she was on her way home from visiting her mother at a nursing home in Leesburg when she decided to stop at the convenience store. That's when she was carjacked.
The carjacker left Waldecker to die after taking her car. Deputies have since arrested 21-year-old Jose Aguilar-Martinez for the carjacking.
Deputies say Aguilar-Martinez was initially taken to an area hospital following his arrest due to what they say was an unrelated medical condition. He was evaluated and related. He is now being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on no bond.
Deputies say there is no ongoing threat to the community. The investigation is still ongoing. The sheriff's office is asking anyone who witnessed the incident and hasn't spoken with law enforcement to contact Detective Rodriquez at (703) 777-1021.
Waldecker is the second person in two weeks to be run over by their own car in a carjacking in Virginia.