Carjacker faces attempted murder charge

WHITLEY COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - Police have preliminarily charged the assailant who hid in the backseat of a Whitley County man's car and then shot him, with attempted murder.

Police said the suspect, Dakota Kimbler, 17, escaped from Pierceton Woods, a juvenile detention facility, on Friday, December 8. Pierceton Woods, located in Pireceton, Indiana, is an all boys detention center.

According to police, Kimbler hid in the victim's backseat while he was working third shift at Paragon Medical Sunday morning.

The victim told police that he was driving home from work around 7:15 a.m., when he realized there was someone in his backseat. Police said Kimbler then shot the victim in the chest.

Although the victim was shot, he managed to wrestle the gun away from Kimbler and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.

Kimbler is being held at the Whitley County Jail on a preliminary charge of attempted murder.

Indiana law provides that a 17-year-old person who is charged with attempted murder will be tried under adult court jurisdiction.