Duval County Jury Finds McClendon Guilty of Carjacking

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that a Duval County jury found Andrew McClendon guilty of Carjacking and Robbery by Sudden Snatching. With the verdict and his status as a Prison Releasee Reoffender, McClendon faces up to life in Florida State Prison. The Honorable London Kite will sentence McClendon at a later date.

On May 12, 2021, the victim was stopped at the red light at Cesery Boulevard and Arlington Expressway as McClendon was walking between cars. McClendon opened her passenger door and got into her car; the victim accelerated and tried to kick McClendon out of her car, but he locked her car doors and told her there were people coming after him. Scared for her safety, the victim told McClendon she could drop him off at her work nearby. McClendon took hold of her steering wheel and turned into oncoming traffic. The suspect then steered the car into the concrete barrier repeatedly as they continued down Cesery Boulevard. The victim was able to stop on the Cesery Bridge, and McClendon told her to get out. McClendon continued driving until he crashed and disabled the car at a grocery store on Atlantic Boulevard near Bartram Road. Witnesses on scene told the police McClendon ran inside the store; police immediately identified and detained him.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Crystal Ganpath-Freed and Christina Roldan.