San Rafael Crime Spree Ends With 5 Arrests: Police

SAN RAFAEL, CA — Five men were arrested Tuesday night in connection with a violent crime spree in San Rafael that included robbery, assault and vandalizing cars, police said.

Officers responded about 5:30 p.m. to several reports from callers in San Rafael's Canal Neighborhood and along the Starkweather Shoreline Park/San Francisco Bay Trail, about a group of men who were were vandalizing cars and fighting near Bahia Way and Canal Street.

While officers made their way to the scene, more 911 calls came in, reporting that the suspects had assaulted victims with a wood block and baseball bat, and then stole a set of car keys.

Police gathered descriptions of the suspects and their last known whereabouts, and learned they had allegedly demanded money and alcohol from residents at a carport in the first block of Canal Street. When the residents refused, they were reportedly attacked, and their car keys stolen.

When the residents attempted to get their keys back, they were allegedly assaulted again and told by the suspects that they would return, police said.

None of the victims were hospitalized.

By 6:24 p.m., police again began to get calls about the suspects at the Target Store on Shoreline Parkway in San Rafael.

The store's security employees reported that five men were threatening to attack and harm customers.

While police were on their way, they learned about another victim who had been attacked with a baseball bat on the Starkweather Shoreline Park/San Francisco Bay Trail.

The victim was located by officers with a head injury and while first aid was provided, San Rafael Fire paramedics were called to assist.

"During the investigation into the assault, it was determined that four to five suspects had approached a group of individuals on the path and demanded alcohol," police said. "When the suspects were refused, the victim was assaulted with a baseball bat. One of the suspects then stole a cellular phone."

Ultimately, an officer was able to locate the suspects leaving the trail onto Baypoint Drive and they were all detained.

The suspects, all from San Rafael, were identified as 18-year-old Juan Ramirez-Ortiz, 18-year-old Maguiver Ostavio Vicente, 19-year-old Victor Gilberto Lopez-Esteban, 22-year-old Danny Waldemar Lopez-Deleon, and 22-year-old Widman Rolando Lopez-Barrios.

All of the men were booked into the Marin County Jail.

Story by Victoria Franco, Bay City News.

Copyright © 2024 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.