Carjacking Victim Punched, Forced To Drive At Knifepoint In Santa Rosa

SANTA ROSA, CA — A Santa Rosa man remained behind bars Thursday following his arrest on suspicion of carjacking.

Santa Rosa police officers were dispatched at 11:56 p.m. Tuesday to North Street and College Avenue to a report of a possible DUI driver and found a car stopped at the intersection on a green light.

An officer was preparing to conduct a traffic stop on the car and saw a person in the back seat who was frantically waving and had blood on his face.

The driver was detained while officers interviewed the passenger.

Police identified the driver as Nahom Tewolde, 29, of Santa Rosa, but said the passenger's name would not be released because he was a victim of a violent crime.

The victim told officers he met Tewolde on Santa Rosa Avenue and was going to give him a ride. Tewolde was acting strangely, then hit the victim in the face. Tewolde then took out a knife and ordered the victim at knifepoint to get out of the driver's seat and into the back seat, the victim told police.

Tewolde then drove the victim around Santa Rosa against his will, the victim said.

In a search of the car, officers found a bag with Tewolde’s identification. It is alleged that several prescription medications were also in the bag and appeared to be for the purpose of sales.

Tewolde was arrested and booked into the main Sonoma County jail on suspicion of felony carjacking, felony robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, committing a felony while released on bail, possession of valium for sale, and possession of narcotics for sale.

Tewolde's bail was set at $600,000, jail records showed.