AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (WSVN) — A California woman has been arrested after a violent carjacking incident that left witnesses screaming for help and in complete panic.
The incident occurred at an Agoura shopping center on Friday afternoon, where Rose Mercer witnessed a woman attempting to steal from another woman’s purse. When she was unsuccessful, the perpetrator got into the victim’s car and attempted to steal it.
A good Samaritan attempted to hold the woman back, but the situation quickly escalated as the stolen car crashed into multiple vehicles in the parking lot. Witnesses recall the woman violently trying to drive away, despite the anti-theft device on the steering wheel.
“She was so determined to get out of here, out of the parking lot that she just kept trying to angle the car,” said Mercer.
The woman eventually abandoned the stolen vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, but was apprehended by three individuals who tied her hands and shoes until police arrived. Witnesses noted that there was something off about the driver both during and after the incident.
“After she got tackled she just was quiet. They put her in handcuffs and she just, it’s like a normal day for her,” said Fideo Rodriguez, who was working at Union Bank at the time of the incident.
The suspect, whose identity has not been released, has been taken into custody and is facing charges related to carjacking and reckless driving.
The victims of the incident are reported to have sustained only minor injuries.
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