Man Calls 911 To Report His Truck Is Stolen – While He's In It

COSTA MESA (CBS) — It was a wild ride for a man in a delivery truck.

He was making a delivery Thursday morning when for a few minutes, he left the keys in the ignition.

Costa Mesa police say that's when 42-year-old Dan Hillard and his wife hopped in. The driver hung on for dear life as he called 911.

The whole ordeal, which took about five minutes, unfolded about 8 a.m. at a Chevron station on Harbor Boulevard and Gisler Avenue in Costa Mesa.

Man: "Two individuals just stole my truck and I'm actually in the back of my truck."
911 Dispatcher: "OK so do you know these people?"
Man: "No I don't."

CBS2's Juan Fernandez found the suspect's wife, Jennifer Walker, at that very same gas station where the truck was allegedly taken.

She was initially arrested but has since been released for lack of evidence.

"I had to think about it. I was like, 'What are you doing? This is not even right. This isn't us.' You know, we're homeless, we don't have any money but you don't jack a food truck," Walker said.

The driver stayed on the phone with 911 dispatcher and told her exactly where truck was headed.

Man: "I was actually in the back of my truck. They see me in the back of my truck as I'm pulling an order."
911 Dispatcher: "Oh my gosh. OK."
Man: "And I kind of heard the lady say, 'No, don't do it.'"

Costa Mesa police eventually caught up with the truck. By that point, police say Hillard and Walker had walked away, apparently telling the driver, "I'm sorry."

"I said, 'Dan, what did you do?' and he goes, 'I did it for us to get to Long Beach,'" Walker said.

Hillard has been charged with grand theft auto and kidnapping. He is in jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.

"Now I'm stuck here by myself, stranded in Orange County when I'm from Oklahoma," she added.