Family whose work truck was hijacked during a wild police chase uses GoFundMe funds to buy a new vehicle

WHITTIER, Calif. (KABC)– A family whose work truck was hijacked during a wild police chase used proceeds from an online fundraiser to buy a new vehicle.

Video from AIR7 HD captured the harrowing moments when Andres Benitez’s family truck was snatched from the driveway of their Whittier home, allegedly by the suspect, identified as Johnny Anchondo.

The family had only bought the vehicle three weeks before the chaotic encounter. Within hours it had been destroyed by the man who stole it.

Benitez reluctantly started a GoFundMe page, thinking the donations could help fund new tools. But that same night, the fundraiser surpassed $25,000. By Sunday it had surpassed $100,000.

Benitez was able to use a portion of the donations to purchase a brand new Ram work truck.

This week, the Benitez brothers had dinner with John Reynolds, whose van was also stolen during the same police pursuit.

Benitez was able to gift Reynolds and his family a significant amount of money to help him buy a new van.