A Saturday trip to the gas pump in east Harris County turned into a full-blown crime scene after officials say 43-year-old Chaninthorn Cuney carjacked a man at knifepoint, smashed into multiple vehicles and wound up crashing through a refinery gate in Baytown.
According to court records and surveillance footage, Cuney approached a man at a gas station in the 3700 block of East Sam Houston Parkway, grabbed him at knifepoint and took his pickup. Deputies say that kicked off a string of collisions before she drove off toward Baytown. Authorities report the stolen truck later hit a U.S. Postal Service vehicle in Baytown and finally stopped when she rammed a gate at the ExxonMobil Baytown refinery, where she was taken into custody.
Surveillance video captures tense gas-station struggle
Law enforcement officials reviewing surveillance footage say the video appears to show Cuney stabbing the air near an empty SUV before opening the door of a white pickup and grappling with the driver, according to ABC13 Houston. The clip then shows her pulling the man from the truck, slamming the pickup into the SUV and reversing into a fuel pump before tearing out of the lot.
Deputies say the scene left several vehicles damaged and triggered a response from multiple agencies. Court documents cited by ABC13 Houston state that Cuney placed a knife against the driver’s neck during the confrontation. Investigators say she then drove roughly 13 miles to Baytown, where she struck a U.S. Postal Service truck on Market Street. When a postal worker got out to inspect the crash, the filings say, Cuney made stabbing motions, and deputies later arrested her after she rammed the refinery gate.
Prior Louisiana case involved vehicle used as a weapon
Public records show Cuney has a prior vehicle-related arrest in Louisiana. In a 2020 press release, the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office said she used a car to plow into a home and several vehicles and was booked on felony criminal damage and reckless operation charges, according to the Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office.
Carjackings put drivers on edge across Harris County
Carjackings and related vehicle thefts have been a recurring theme in Harris County this month. The Houston Chronicle reported an unrelated July case in which deputies recovered three children after an alleged carjacking in the Aldine area. Local law enforcement agencies continue to warn drivers to stay alert at the pump and avoid leaving vehicles unattended while fueling, advice that sounds a lot less abstract after scenes like Saturday’s.
Felony charges on the table
Because the alleged theft involved a knife and force, prosecutors could pursue aggravated robbery or other felony counts under Texas law. Aggravated robbery is defined in the Texas Penal Code and can be enhanced when a deadly weapon is involved. Federal law also criminalizes carjacking in certain situations under 18 U.S.C. §2119, which allows for stiff federal penalties depending on factors such as injury or interstate elements.
Cuney appeared at a probable-cause hearing Monday and told the magistrate, when asked about legal representation, that she was a victim of identity theft, according to court filings. Prosecutors had not announced formal charges as of publication, and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately provide additional comment.
