Pizza delivery man attacked in Belleview

Marion County Sheriff’s deputies are trying to track down three suspects who carjacked a pizza delivery driver in the middle of the day.

The Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday afternoon around lunchtime they were called to the 11500 block of Southeast 60th Ave in Belleview.  A Domino’s delivery driver reported that he’d come to the neighborhood on a delivery, but when he arrived, three African-American men wearing hoodies approached him and put a gun to his head.

He told deputies they took about $40 worth of pizza and his brand new 2017 Kia Forte.  The driver’s coworkers at Domino’s said the order was sent in online and their drivers regularly deliver to the neighborhood with no problems.

Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Lauren Lettelier said it’s believed the order was a setup.  Deputies said the black Kia Forte has a large New England Patriots sticker on the back window; a detail they hope someone will notice and report.

This isn’t the first crime in Marion County targeting pizza drivers. Late last year the sheriff’s office reports a similar carjacking that ended in a high speed chase with a suspect, but the car was eventually recovered. Then just about three weeks ago, a driver for Five Star Pizza in Ocala said he was attacked while on a delivery at night, beaten up, but nothing was taken from him. He said Wednesday that he’s recovering, but still hasn’t heard if anyone’s been caught.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office asks anyone with information in the carjacking to contact them at 352-732-9111 or Crime Stoppers at 352-368-7867.