Man held without bail on carjacking charges
FITCHBURG - A local man accused of carjacking, punching, and threatening to kill three women after forcing them to drive to Boston was ordered held without bail yesterday in Fitchburg District Court.
Court records indicate police had several telephone conversations with the defendant, Jquan L. Durham, 30, of Fitchburg and at least one of the women during the ordeal, which began soon after 10 p.m. Wednesday on Charles Street.
Durham was held on charges including kidnapping, carjacking, and assault to rape. At the arraignment yesterday, Judge Andrew L. Mandell ordered Durham to be taken to Bridgewater State Hospital for a mental evaluation before returning to court March 24.
Police reports described the harrowing encounter for the three 22- and 21-year-old women from Fitchburg, Baldwinville, and Templeton.
According to police, the driver told them she was outside the vehicle when the man approached and ordered her to get back in the car. She saw him striking her friend in the back seat and heard him promise to kill them all, Officer James S. McCall wrote in his report. "She stated that she started to resist when she was struck in the mouth by him."
The punch cut her lip, police said.
"She stated that while they were traveling, the male party started talking all crazy and said that, 'We are all God's children,' " according to the report.
One of the women was able to place a 911 call from the car.
Fitchburg police relayed information on the vehicle to State Police, who spotted it on Route 2 near Exit 42 and arrested the suspect. Durham resisted as he was removed from the vehicle, State Police said. He was wearing a chain around his neck with a razor blade, police said.
One of the women said she feared Durham would force her to have sex with him. She became ill during questioning and was taken to Emerson Hospital in Concord, police reports said.
State Police charged Durham with three counts of assault and battery, six counts of threats to commit a crime, and a single count of resisting arrest.
Fitchburg police charged him with 17 counts, including three counts each of kidnapping, intimidating a witness, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault to commit a felony, and assault and battery. He also was charged with single counts of carjacking and assault to rape.
