Templeton-area Woman Carjacked, Sexually Assaulted
A Templeton-area woman was carjacked and raped on Sunday.
Edson Tapia
According to Paso Robles Police, an unidentified 19-year-old female victim was accosted by two suspects while getting gas at the AMPM service station in the 100 block of Niblick Road.
The victim said she had been persuaded to drive both suspects to the San Ardo area of Monterey County. She said one of the suspects left after they arrived in San Ardo, while the other suspect stayed with her.
Police say this suspect then pulled a gun and sexually assaulted the victim inside the vehicle. The suspect then drove her to San Miguel.
The victim escaped from the vehicle in San Miguel and called 911, but the suspect had fled prior to the arrival of SLO County deputies.
On early Monday morning, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office deputies found the victim’s vehicle unoccupied and abandoned in San Ardo, which was then recovered and was processed for evidence by PRPD detectives with the assistance of the personnel from the California Department of Justice Crime Lab.
Since the crime originated in Paso Robles, PRPD maintained jurisdiction.
A few hours later, one of the suspects — identified as 21-year-old Edson Tapia of San Ardo — was arrested and transported back to PRPD. The other subject contacted in San Ardo was released after being interviewed.
Detectives say they could not establish probable cause to arrest the second suspect.
The victim suffered minor injuries during this incident.
Tapia was booked into the SLO County Jail for felony carjacking, felony forcible rape, felony auto theft, and felony kidnapping.
According to PRPD Lt. Tinothy Murphy, “There were no charges on the second subject because no probable cause existed to support an arrest. The investigation only showed this subject to have been involved in the original persuading of the victim to give the subjects a ride. That is not a crime.”
Read more:
SLO Tribune: Woman carjacked in Paso Robles, taken to San Ardo and raped, police say
CalCoast News: Woman carjacked and raped in Paso Robles
