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Slain woman's son goes on rampage - Police: Holly Hill man steals truck,
slams vehicles
Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) - August 30, 2007
Author/Byline: SETH ROBBINS - STAFF WRITER
Edition: Final
Section: Section C
Page: 03C

DAYTONA BEACH - The son of a Daytona Beach woman kidnapped and murdered last January stole a delivery
truck Wednesday night and used it as a battering ram, slamming into parked cars, felling signposts and leaving a path
of destruction on Nova Road, police said.

Jeffrey Uptagrafft, 37, of Holly Hill hopped into the parked truck at a Hess gas station in the 300 block of North
Ridgewood Avenue near Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard. The truck driver, Elvis Maysonet, had left the keys in the
ignition as he delivered soda cans to the convenience store, police said.

Uptagrafft drove the truck for several blocks when motorists spotted him about 6:30 p.m. near Orange Avenue heading
north on Nova Road and plowing down signposts on the eastern sidewalk. He drove through the intersection at
International Speedway Boulevard and struck a car parked at the Krispy Kreme Doughnuts shop, police said.

"I couldn't believe it," said Tina Gaskin, who was stopped at the eastbound light on International Speedway Boulevard.
"He was laughing at what he was doing."

After the collision, Uptagrafft lost control of the truck, and it veered across the median where it slammed into
three southbound cars, crushing them, police Lt. Craig Capri said.

Several ambulances transported five people to the hospital, EVAC ambulance spokesman Mark O'Keefe said. One
patient was in serious condition, he said. The rest suffered minor injuries.

Uptagrafft ran from the disabled truck, but several police officers tracked him down and pinned him to the ground.
He rammed into at least six vehicles during his rampage, Capri said, and now he faces a slew of charges for his joy
ride, including grand theft auto, aggravated battery with a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.

The driver of the delivery truck, which had Orlando plates, was cited for leaving his keys in the ignition.

Lt. Craig Buth said blood would be drawn from Uptagrafft to see if he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
When asked why he went on the rampage, Uptagrafft replied that he wanted to kill people, police said.

"They beat my mother up," Uptagrafft said as paramedics checked him for injuries. He was not seriously hurt.

Uptagrafft's mother, Elizabeth, 56, was kidnapped Jan. 7 from her rented Michigan Avenue home by Cornelius Baker,
20, and Patricia Roosa, 19, both of Flagler County, after the pair ransacked her home and terrorized her family,
authorities said.

Her body was found that night on a dirt road on a pine tree farm in western Flagler County. She had been shot twice.

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Baker and Roosa were charged with murder and dealing in stolen property. Both are facing the death penalty, if convicted.

Dateline: DAYTONA BEACH

Record Number: 409992104
Copyright, 2007, The News-Journal Corporation

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