Masked men carjack woman’s vehicle

WATSONVILLE — Watsonville police are searching for a man who carjacked a woman’s vehicle by force early Friday. Another man has been taken into custody in the bizarre incident that nearly involved an abduction of a female motorist.

Sgt. Eric Taylor said a masked man initially approached a woman who was sitting in her car near Anna Street and Hangar Way at 2:27 a.m. The man demanded she give him her car. When she refused, Taylor said, the man physically forced the woman out of her car, and then tried to put her in the passenger seat.

The woman, who has not been named, was able to free herself and flee the scene as the man drove away in her car.

The victim was unharmed.

Watsonville Police initiated a concentrated effort to locate the stolen car along with the aid of allied agencies.

At approximately 2:57 a.m. Watsonville Police Sgt. Mike McKinley spotted the stolen car near Freedom Boulevard and Landis Avenue. He attempted to stop the car at the dead end of Landis but the driver, and a passenger, fled on foot into a wooded area.

McKinley was able to catch the passenger, who was also wearing a black ski mask, Taylor said. The driver's mask was recovered inside the vehicle on the driver's seat. The driver was not located after an extensive search.

The passenger was arrested for fleeing from the car and possession of stolen property. He was booked into juvenile hall. The case is still under investigation. Police recovered useful physical evidence from the stolen car.

Anyone with information regarding the incident or who may have witnessed the incident is encouraged to call the Watsonville Police Investigative Bureau at 768-3350 or the Watsonville Police tipline at 768-3544.



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