SAN BERNARDINO – Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 20-year-old San Bernardino man suspected of carjacking two vehicles in San Bernardino one day earlier. It took a car chase, crash and foot pursuit before Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies caught the suspect, along with two other people on Tuesday.
Julio Cesar Delaluz, 20, was suspected of carjacking a green Ford Taurus in the early morning hours on February 23, on the Cal State San Bernardino parking lot. Lt. Rich Lawhead said Delaluz woke a student who was sleeping inside his car at 12:13 a.m. Delaluz took the car at gunpoint, said Lawhead, and fled the campus. He said the unidentified victim was able to escape Delaluz and went to a local business to call police. While police were responding to that call, Delaluz was involved in a collision in the area of 27th Street and Interstate 215.
When a nurse from the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center stopped to assist, said Lawhead, she loaned her cell phone to Delaluz, “not knowing he was a suspect in a carjacking.” The nurse, said Lawhead, “became victim No. 2.” The suspect took her cell phone and her car, a 2003 Lexus, also at gunpoint, fleeing the area, heading southbound on Mt. Vernon Avenue in San Bernardino.
One day later, deputies from L.A. County Sheriff’s spotted the stolen Lexus, pursued the car and three suspects inside. The Lexus was involved in a collision during the chase, the occupants fleeing on foot. Lawhead said each person, which included Delaluz and two females, was eventually located and detained. Delaluz was identified as the suspect in the two carjackings. One of the females was identified as Delaluz’s girlfriend. All three were taken into custody.
Delaluz, who was positively identified by all victims, was taken to L.A. County jail. He will face charges that include kidnapping, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon and possibly additional charges.
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