Cabazon Carjackings Lead To Desert Man, Sheriff's Department Announces

CABAZON, CA — A felon who tried to carjack one motorist in Cabazon, and was successful in a second attempt on a different driver in the unincorporated community, was captured, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced late Thursday.

Deputies got their first call just after 5 a.m. Wednesday in reference to the attempted carjacking in the 48300 block of Seminole Drive, the sheriff's department reported.

The victim was able to get away, but then a second report was made in the 49000 block of Seminole Drive in Cabazon — this time the alleged carjacker assaulted a different victim and took a vehicle, according to the sheriff's department.

The stolen vehicle was found in Loma Linda by San Bernardino County deputies and the carjackings were linked to Kegan Nelson, 28, of Indio, who was arrested, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department reported.

"Evidence related to the crimes [was] located within the vehicle," according to the Riverside County agency. "Nelson is currently on probation for an attempted carjacking that occurred in 2021."

No other suspects were being sought, the sheriff's department reported.

Formal charges were filed against Nelson. Along with carjacking, he was charged with attempted carjacking, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and sentence-enhancing allegations of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.

Nelson was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at Banning's Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility. He was slated to make his initial court appearance Friday afternoon at the Banning Justice Center.

Anyone with information about the incidents was asked to call Deputy Lloyd or Deputy Herweck at the Cabazon Sheriff’s Station: 951-922-7100.