Crime & Safety

Mission Viejo Man Charged With Child Abuse, Carjacking, Hit and Run

Authorities say the 34-year-old man took an SUV with a toddler inside when the mother went back into her home to grab a sippy cup for the boy. Prosecutors are seeking $1-million bail.

A 34-year-old Mission Viejo man was charged today with carjacking an SUV with a toddler and a dog in the back seat, running over the foot of the boy's pregnant mother in the process, and bailing out of the vehicle while it was still moving.

James Christopher Corr spotted the Volvo sport utility vehicle with the doors open in the woman's garage about 8 a.m. Saturday in Aliso Viejo, Deputy District Attorney Aleta Bryant said.

While the mom dashed back into the home to grab a sippy cup for her 2-year-old son, who was strapped in his child-safety seat in the back of the SUV, Corr slipped into the driver's seat, Bryant alleged. The victim had her Saint Bernard in the vehicle, as well, the prosecutor said.

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As the mother returned, she saw Corr in the driver's seat and pleaded with him to let her crying son go, according to Bryant. Instead, Corr allegedly kept backing the vehicle out of the garage, knocking down the woman, who is eight months' pregnant, and running over her foot, Bryant said.

In his haste to get away, Corr crashed the vehicle into the woman's garage and also struck a neighbor's garage, knocking off the rear door next to the toddler, Bryant alleged.

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A neighbor who saw what happened gave chase in her own car, continuing to follow when Corr allegedly sped through a red light. He eventually bailed out of the speeding SUV while it was still running, Bryant said.

The Volvo, with the toddler and the dog still inside, jumped a curb, nearly hitting a tree before coming to a stop, Bryant said. The neighbor ran to the aid of the child, while Corr kept running through back yards to get away, the prosecutor alleged.

At some point, Corr grabbed pruning shears in one back yard and tried to pry open the locked door to a house, but kept running when a woman confronted him at the window, Bryant said.

Eventually, Corr finally ran out of steam and into the arms of sheriff's deputies, she said.

About two hours before the carjacking, Corr allegedly broke into a Honda Accord in an Aliso Viejo parking lot to steal a purse containing credit cards.

Corr could face up to life in prison if convicted of one count each of carjacking, kidnapping during a carjacking, child abuse, child stealing, second-degree vehicle burglary, first-degree robbery, aggravated assault, hit-and-run with injury and vandalism of more than $400, and two counts of first-degree residential burglary.

He is also charged with a misdemeanor count of resisting an officer, with sentence-enhancing allegations for a prior conviction in Nevada for leaving the scene of an accident in 2007.

Corr was scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon. Prosecutors planned to ask for $1-million bail.

—City News Service


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