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Man run over by carjacking suspect at Xmas event
A Beverly Hills man survived being run over by a carjacking suspect during a holiday celebration event on Rodeo Drive.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - FOX 11 met exclusively Friday with one of the four victims run over by a man driving a stolen car during Thursday night's Holiday Lights Celebration in Beverly Hills.
"If there's a God, I just met him for sure," said Russell Stuart.
Stuart had been at the Holiday Lights Celebration in Beverly Hills Thursday night with his family when he decided to walk their dog home. During the walk, Stuart stopped to buy a balloon for his daughter when a carjacking suspect in a stolen BMW went speeding towards them and a crowd of people.
"I was handing this woman money, and I heard the screech of tires, looked up, and instantaneously got hit," said Stuart.
Four people, including Stuart and his dog, were injured. All are expected to survive.
"I felt like Mike Tyson went into MMA and I was a four-year-old getting my butt kicked for 20 minutes," said Stuart. "It was awful; every part of my body hurts."
According to Stuart, he doesn't remember much after the collision. He woke up in an ambulance, and doctors tell him it's a miracle he survived.
"Only a couple of inches over, and I might not be here anymore," said Stuart. "[While unconscious], I saw our daughter's wedding, and she's only six. I really didn't even know if I was alive."
The carjacking suspect ran from the scene but was later arrested. Police identified him as 22-year-old James Portul from Pittsburgh, PA.
Stuart, recently elected to the Beverly Hills School Board, is a business owner and has previously appeared on FOX 11 for interviews.
"It's very difficult to process how your life can flash in front of your eyes," said Stuart.
He's currently being treated for several broken bones and has multiple surgeries ahead of him. Stuart says he's very thankful for all the messages, support, and help received from the community and Beverly Hills Police Department.
Now, he has this message for the carjacking suspect who drove a vehicle into a crowd.
"Although you might think you're just boosting a car for your own financial gain, this is our world; it's our life; it's our family; it's our community," said Stuart.