James Norman dies in fatal Norco carjacking – Monday, May 12, 2025

James Norman dies in fatal Norco carjacking – Monday, May 12, 2025

Fatal Norco carjacking death of James Norman – Obituary

James Norman, a 79-year-old resident of Corona, lost his life Monday afternoon after being dragged during a violent carjacking in Norco.

Authorities responded around 12:30 p.m. to an Arco gas station on Hidden Valley Parkway after a witness reported a man stealing a vehicle while Norman was still partially inside it.

Investigators said Norman had been vacuuming the back seat of his SUV near a nearby car wash when the suspect entered the driver’s seat and drove off. Norman was dragged for roughly half a mile before falling from the moving vehicle. Officers from the Corona Police Department located him shortly afterward and transported him to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.

The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Ryan Hewitt of Corona, abandoned the SUV near Polk Street and Magnolia Avenue in Riverside. He was found and arrested near Magnolia Avenue and Tyler Street with help from the Riverside Police Department.

Hewitt faces charges of murder and carjacking and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, May 14.

Norman, affectionately known as Jim by family and friends, was a U.S. Army veteran and a cherished father and grandfather. His daughter, Nicole Lauritsen, expressed heartbreak and gratitude that the suspect was apprehended quickly. She explained that her father likely didn’t hear the carjacker due to