MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — Two men are behind bars after police said they stole a Montgomery County couple's truck at a New Orleans hotel earlier this month and then used it in a drive-by.
The Washingtons said they were supposed to have three days of fun and relaxation in New Orleans, but their trip was anything but that. They said the whole ordeal has caused extreme levels of stress, and they don't want anyone else to experience it.
Shock is the best way to describe what Minnie Washington and her husband experienced on a family trip to New Orleans earlier this month.
"It went wrong from the beginning," Washington said.
They pulled up to Harrah’s New Orleans on Jan. 15, and while they were unloading their truck near the valet, the trip took a terrifying turn.
"We didn’t even have time to get everything out of the truck. We were in progress, taking the luggage out of the bag when the man came from nowhere, and just jumped into the driver seat and took off," Washington said.
She said her husband tried to run after the truck, but realized the driver had a gun and stopped. Days later, while stranded at the hotel, they saw surveillance footage of their truck being used in a drive-by shooting in downtown New Orleans that left a couple of people injured.
"My husband screamed out and said, 'That’s our truck!' And I ran out of the bathroom and it was our truck. Seeing it driving around shooting at people was a feeling that I really can’t describe. It was awful," Washington said.
Washington said the ordeal caused so much stress she ended up being hospitalized for several days. Her husband, who's a military veteran and has had trouble sleeping, was left wondering what if he'd also been shot.
"And not knowing how those individuals are. I’m not sure if they’re stable if they made it. It was traumatic," she said.
She said the hotel did comp their stay, but said they were not responsible for the theft since they hadn't taken possession of their truck keys. Washington said police tracked the truck for days, but by the time they got it, it had been used in the shooting and was then torched and abandoned under a bridge.
"When you go to these places, don’t just assume they’re going to have your best interest at heart. Because when it comes to the blame game, it doesn’t always work out," Washington said.
Washington said the only resolution she's seen is a red-light ticket they were issued after the theft was dismissed by the city. KHOU 11 News reached out to Harrah's for comment and we're waiting to hear back.