Police Charge 2 With Attempted Murder in Delivery Men Robberies

Two Baltimore men face life in prison after they allegedly twice attacked and robbed Perry Hall and Parkville food delivery men, court records show. 

Police described two incidents in which the two men called food delivery drivers, luring the victims into a trap near the apartments in the unit block of Raylon Drive. 

One of the victims, a 57-year-old man, remained in hospital care as of Tuesday after suffering serious injuries from the assault last week, Lt. Ron Brooks, of Precinct 9 White Marsh, said. 

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Police arrested the suspects Steve Everette,19, and Craig Oliver Jr., 20, on March 28 and charged them both with attempted murder, as well as multiple assault, robbery and theft offenses, according to the statement of charges.  

Investigators traced phone records and used evidence from the scene of the crimes to track down the men reportedly responsible, Brooks said. 

The penalty for attempted murder is life in prison, if convicted. Bail has been denied for both individuals. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for April 26 in District Court. 

Police first responded to the unit block of Raylon Drive on March 16. Officers found a bloodied delivery driver from Venus Pizza who has subsequently lost a tooth after being attacked, police noted in their report. 

The delivery driver said he was in the area doing his job—bringing food to an apartment at 11:08 p.m. on March 15. The driver called the men who phoned in the order to tell them that their pizza, subs and soda had arrived, reads the statement of charges. 

The delivery driver told police he didn’t remember what happened next.

When he came to, the driver realized that his wallet, cell phone, keys, the food he was delivery and the petty cash belonging to Venus Pizza were all missing. The total value of the stolen items equaled $1,743.69, according to the charging documents. 

Police interviewed the elderly woman living at the address the suspects provided Venus Pizza. She confirmed that she had not ordered from the pizza shop that evening. 

The driver was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. 

Police again responded to the unit block of Raylon Drive on March 26. Only this time, the suspects’ alleged victim could barely communicate after the beating he suffered. 

It was 10:12 p.m. when they found the 57-year-old delivery driver from China Taste. 

“[The officer] found [the victim] with multiple contusions and lacerations to this face, which was bleeding profusely and observed that he could barely speak or walk,” the statement of charges reads. 

The driver told police that he had been robbed, although could not talk well enough to say how much cash was stolen. The man was immediately taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Trauma Center, “where he was later placed into an induced coma to preserve his airway,” the court record shows. 

A resident of the apartment complex who was taking out the trash at the time witnessed the scuffle. He told police that he saw one man punching the delivery driver while the other watched. The suspects drove away in a silver sedan when they saw the witness watching nearby.  

Police again interviewed the elderly woman residing at the address the victims gave. She again denied ordering food that evening. 

Investigators traced the phone numbers used to call in the orders, linking the pre-paid phones to their getaway car—a silver Toyota Corolla. 

Police tracked down both suspects at their homes after obtaining a warrant to search the vehicle, which is believed to have also been used in the commission of other crimes. 

Oliver, who resided in the 2800 block of Round Road in Brooklyn, confessed to attacking and robbing the delivery men, while Everette, of the 4100 block of Rokeby Road, was the driver. 

Asked why he beat the China Taste delivery driver so severely, Oliver told police, “it was because he wouldn’t stop screaming and that he was concerned that a neighbor would hear them,” the statement of charges reads. 

“He further stated that the plan during both incidents was to knock the victims out with one punch so they wouldn’t make any noise and then take their money,” the report continues. 

Oliver said he and Everette stole a total of $80 from the man they placed in critical care. 

Between both incidents, the suspects stole a total of $1,823.69 between cash and the value of cell phones and food. 

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