Marin Car Theft Suspect Accused Of Assaulting Officer: Cops

MARIN COUNTY, CA — Authorities are asking for the public’s help in their investigation of a wanted car theft suspect accused of assaulting an officer with the stolen car last week, San Rafael police said.

The suspect is described as a 25 to 40-year-old black male, around 6 feet tall with shoulder-length dreadlocks, police said. He was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and blue jeans.

A female suspect is also sought in connection with this case, but no description of her is yet available, police said.

The officer was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery, police said.

Both suspects are wanted on charges of felony assault on an officer, felony assault with a deadly weapon, evading the police, and stealing the vehicle, police said.

Officers at around 4:45 p.m. Thursday received a report of a car theft at the Mercedes dealership on Francisco Boulevard West, police said.

Witnesses saw the suspect walk into the service garage and steal a customer’s 2021 black Mercedes SUV, police said.

The vehicle’s owner at around 10:15 p.m. reported locating the vehicle traveling in the Canal Neighborhood of San Rafael through a GPS application, police said.

Officers followed the tracking position of the vehicle and saw it enter the San Rafael Yacht Harbor on Francisco Boulevard East, police said.

An officer in the area entered the parking lot of the yacht harbor, immediately located the vehicle, and drove in behind it to stop the vehicle, police said.

When the officer exited their vehicle and stood behind the driver's door of the police car to give the suspect commands, the suspect vehicle suddenly accelerated in reverse toward the officer and collided with the driver’s door of the police car, pinning, and injuring the officer, police said.

Additional officers arrived on the scene, and the stolen vehicle attempted to flee but was blocked, police said.

The officer who had been pinned between the police car and the driver's door fell to the ground, police said.

The suspect rammed another police car blocking his path and then turned the stolen vehicle around and drove toward the back of the parking lot, police said.

After coming to a dead-end, the vehicle turned around again and came back toward officers and police cars at a high rate of speed, police said.

“The suspect was driving back toward the injured officer, who was limping and trying to get out of the way,” police said.

“Two officers ran to the aid of the injured officer and placed themselves between the advancing suspect vehicle and the injured officer with their firearms pointed toward the suspect.”

Both officers, fearing that the suspect was going to run over the injured officer during his attempt to escape, gave orders for the suspect to stop. The suspect suddenly stopped the vehicle.

Seconds later, the suspect placed the vehicle in reverse and drove back toward the back of the parking lot. An officer saw a female passenger in the stolen vehicle at the time.

Officers ran to the back of the parking lot and located witnesses who said the suspect fled from the vehicle toward a boat dock, police said.

Another witness reported that the suspects may have jumped into the water and swam away.

Officers established a perimeter and summoned Marin County Sheriff’s Office resources, police said.

SRPD Detectives processed the stolen vehicle for evidence to develop leads to determine the suspects’ identity, police said.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call San Rafael Police at (415) 485-3000. Tips can also be made online here.