Kennewick store employee jumps on hood of shoplifters’ car

A Kennewick store clerk was injured Sunday night after he chased two shoplifters from his shop and jumped on the hood of their car, sliding off as they drove away.

The shoplifters had left the store in the 2800 block of west Clearwater Avenue with baskets half full of merchandise and got into a yellow Dodge Neon, Kennewick police said. One was in the driver’s seat and the other in the back with a male passenger. The car was backed into a parking space.

The employee who chased after them stood in front of the car as he called 911 when he heard someone in the car yell, “Go, he’ll move,” police said.

“The car was put into gear to pull forward so (the employee) jumped on the hood grabbing the wipers to hold on,” a police news release said.

The employee rolled off to the side as the car moved forward, scraping his knees as he landed on the pavement.

The car was last seen headed toward Pasco but hasn’t been located. The store is providing video from its security cameras for the ongoing investigation.

This story was originally published February 22, 2016 at 4:16 PM with the headline "Kennewick store employee jumps on hood of shoplifters’ car."