Victim recounts armed carjacking that left car in golf course pond

Man in hospital after being robbed at knife point The man was knocked unconscious while his car was stolen. It ended up at the bottom of a pond. David Ewasuk reports.

EDMONTON — A man is recovering with minor injuries after a carjacking left his vehicle under water in a southwest Edmonton pond Thursday.

The carjacking victim, Claudio Mattiello, says he was delivering newspapers in the Jagare Ridge area around 4 a.m. when two men in another vehicle demanded his car.

Mattiello says he drove off trying to get away from the men, but they pulled him over a second time and took out a knife. He says he drove away again before the men pulled up in a third attempt to take his vehicle.

“They pulled up fast and then yanked me out of the vehicle and then next thing I knew I’m lying on the sidewalk,” said Mattiello.

Mattiello says he later called police to report having been assaulted and said his attacker stole his vehicle while he was unconscious.

EPS believes Mattiello’s assault is connected to the Volkswagen that was discovered submerged in the Jagare Ridge Golf Course pond.

Mattiello was taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries and there is no one in custody, EPS said.

Mattiello says he had never seen the men that approached him Thursday morning and that he’s unsure why he was targeted.

“That time of the morning, sometimes you don’t see anybody and sometimes you see people coming home from work or from wherever,” explained Matttiello.

Mattiello is left with a minor shoulder injury and was treated with stitches for a gash above his eye. He also says he’s experiencing headaches, but he knows he’ll heal.

As for his vehicle, police recovered the Volkswagen from the pond on Thursday. Mettiello is unsure about its current condition, but he’s trying to keep a positive outlook on the incident.

“People that I’ve been talking to say the vehicle can be replaced, but I can’t (be),” said Mettiello.

EPS continues to investigate.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s David Ewasuk.