Man accused of Tewksbury carjacking held without bail

A man accused of carjacking a woman in Tewksbury on April 1 faced a judge on Wednesday.

William Tighe, 32, pleaded not guilty to charges that included carjacking and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. In this case the weapon was the car that police say he jumped into at the Mobil K gas station in Tewksbury.

Surveillance video shows the victim spraying the suspect with fuel before she was briefly dragged as he drove away.

The victim, Zoila Peguero, was in town for a funeral from New Jersey. Peguero was treated and later released from the hospital after suffering minor injuries.

Peguero spoke with just one station about her terrifying ordeal.

“He just opened the door of the car and got inside, and I said ‘what are you doing?’” said Peguero. “…I started putting gas all over the car,” she added.

She thought the man was an employee. She used the gas hose to defend herself.

Peguero said the man told her to stop.

“I said ‘No, I need my car. I want to get home, please don’t take the car,’” she said.

Police say they later found the stolen car, a red Mazda, in Lowell.

Tighe was held without bail on Wednesday.