Photo: Grizzly Peak Boulevard
BERKELEY— University of California Police responded to a violent carjacking incident leading to the arrest of three suspects. However, a fourth suspect remains at large.
The carjacking occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m. on February 18th, near campus on Grizzly Peak Boulevard. One suspect fired a gunshot into the air, while three other suspects assaulted and robbed the victims.
The suspects stole phones from an unidentified number of victims, and the keys to one of the victim’s car. The suspects split up and fled in the victim’s vehicle, and the vehicle that all four suspects originally rode in.
Soon afterward, one of the victim’s phones was tracked to a location in Oakland. UC police with assistance from Oakland police quickly arrested one suspect, and two more suspects were later arrested.
The victims positively identified three suspects, including the person who fired the gun. In addition, the victim’s stolen car was recovered in Oakland and returned to its rightful owner.
One suspect, Emerson Diaz, 19 of Oakland remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail in lieu of $255,000 bond. Diaz faces charges including carjacking and discharging a firearm in a negligent manner. He also faces charges for being an addict in possession of a firearm and resisting police.
Diaz has three prior arrests in 2018 and 2017 for among other offenses assault with a deadly weapon. Diaz was also previously arrested for vehicle theft and receiving stolen property.
A second suspect was arrested and booked at Berkeley City Jail, Jorge Arias-Cordova, 18 of Oakland. Arias-Cordova, a Berkeley transient, was booked for robbery, carjacking and vehicle theft. It was his first arrest.
Authorities also arrested a 14-year-old Oakland resident on suspicion of participating in these crimes. Meanwhile, authorities are still seeking a fourth suspect.
