Man steals work truck, crashes near Philly school playground, police say

Philadelphia police captured a man who they say tried to carjack a woman, stole a utility truck, crashed into another vehicle and then overturned at an elementary school playground in the city’s Kingsessing neighborhood.

The ordeal began on Tuesday, May 5, around 2:15 p.m. when a man – later identified as 30-year-old Robert Littlepage of Douglasville, Georgia — tried to carjack a woman on the 6300 block of Grays Avenue, Philadelphia police said.

Littlepage then stole a white utility truck that was still running near 62^nd and Reedland streets, according to investigators. Littlepage then sped down the street and struck a parked SUV on Elmwood Avenue, police said. He then jumped a curb, drove along a sidewalk and then ran a red light at 55^th Street and Kingsessing Avenue, slamming into another vehicle in a crash that was captured on video, according to investigators.

Littlepage then slammed into two other parked cars before the utility truck overturned on the playground of S. Weir Mitchell Elementary School, police said.

“He ran the red light, t-boned the lady,” Jamele Ransom, a crossing guard who witnessed the crash, told NBC10. “I’m bobbing and weaving. I’m just thankful. Thankful to be alive right now. Thank you Jesus.”

Ransom claimed he pulled a child from one of the vehicles after the crash.

“I grab a kid out, because he’s stuck, frantic, pull him out,” Ransom said while eating ice cream. “Ain’t nobody in there. Guy’s in there. He’s trapped in there. Then I run out and get myself together because my heart is boom, boom, boom, boom.”

Littlepage was captured shortly after by responding police officers. He was taken to the hospital for an evaluation before being arrested. Police said he will be charged with attempted carjacking, aggravated assault, reckless driving and other related offenses.

No bystanders were seriously hurt in the crash, according to police.

SkyForce10 was over the scene shortly before 3 p.m. showing the work truck overturned on its side on the playground, multiple damaged vehicles nearby and a crowd made up of both children and adults standing around.

A spokesperson for the Philadelphia School District told NBC10 there were no children at the playground during the crash and no students were hurt.

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