Santa Maria man foils carjacking attempt

January 6, 2013

A 22-year-old Santa Maria man fought back and was able to foil an attempted carjacking Saturday night. [Noozhawk]

The unnamed 22-year-old was at Jones Street and College Avenue when he agreed to give a man and woman a ride, said Sgt. Jack Dunn. He drove the pair to Railroad Avenue and Atlantic Place, where the man asked him to pull over.

“At that time, the male suspect, who was seated behind the victim, placed the victim in a headlock and put a knife to his throat,” Dunn told Noozhawk. “The male suspect demanded money and ordered the victim to get out of the vehicle.”

However, the driver was able to grab the knife, forcing his assailant to drop it, Dunn told Noozhawk. He sustained a minor cut on his hand wrestling away the knife.

The victim continued driving to the area of Railroad and Canal Street, where the man grabbed him again and told him to get out of the vehicle. When he refused, the woman suspect grabbed the keys out of the ignition, and both suspects fled the area on foot, Noozhawk said.

Police described the suspects as a Hispanic male, shaved head, thin build, 18-20 years old, and a Hispanic woman, shoulder-length hair, thin build, 18-20 year old. Both were wearing gray sweats.