A Morgantown man is facing first-degree robbery charges after police were called to a carjacking made at gunpoint Sunday in downtown Morgantown.
According to the criminal complaint, Morgantown Police responded to the scene in front of 233 Walnut Street — in the area near Liquid Lounge — and met with a man who said his Mercedes-Benz C300 had been parked there while he went to a store on High Street.
The victim told officers when he returned to his vehicle there was a male leaning on his hood. After telling the man to get off the car, “the male pulled out a handgun and pointed it at him,” the complaint said.
The man then slapped the victim’s cell phone from his hands, took his car keys and phone and got into the Mercedes. He drove away heading west down Walnut Street.
According to the complaint, the victim was able to provide police with a description and a Facebook profile, provided by a witness who claimed to know the suspect’s identity.
Police later found the stolen vehicle in the parking lot near Morgantown Dental, after Morgantown Parking Authority employees witnessed a man fitting the suspect’s description leaving the car and running toward the 200 block of High Street, which is the area near Tin 202.
Officers found and detained the suspect, identified as Naryan Dhanraj, 27, of Morgantown.
Dhanraj had two cell phones on him, and when police called the phone number provided by the victim, one of the phones began to ring, the complaint said.
After taking Dhanraj into custody, police found the victim’s stolen Mercedes keys in his pocket.
Dhanraj is charged with robbery in the first degree. He was released from custody after posting the required 10% of a $50,000 personal recognizance bond.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 26.
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