Clearwater man faces multiple charges after carjacking

CLEARWATER — A 22-year-old Clearwater man faces multiple charges after struggling with a man and stealing his truck Friday, police said.

Oren Wickberg Jr. jumped into a Dodge Ram pickup as the owner, 52, was preparing to leave his house on the 2300 block of Willow Tree Lane about 7 a.m., Clearwater police said. Wickberg struggled with the man, then shifted the truck into reverse and started to drive away, police said. The owner was thrown to the ground.

The truck was involved in a crash near U.S. 41 and Bullfrog Creek in Gibsonton a few hours later and Wickberg was taken into custody by Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies.

Wickberg, who has numerous prior arrests in Pinellas County, was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, burglary and leaving the scene of an accident. He was being held Friday in Hillsborough County in lieu of $4,250 bail.

The truck's owner was treated for minor injuries and released from a local hospital.