Alleged Armed Carjacker Arrested in Vallejo

A Watsonville man was arrested Friday in connection with a September carjacking in Milpitas.

Mario Manuel Martinez, 42, was arrested on suspicion of carjacking and making criminal threats, police said.

On Sept. 27, at 7:03 p.m., officers responded to a report of a carjacking in the parking lot at 179 Ranch Drive. The suspect, later identified as Martinez, approached the victim, yelled that he had a knife and threatened to kill the victim, police said.

Police said Martinez then grabbed the victim’s car keys, pushed the victim aside and got into the victim’s vehicle. The victim tried to get his car keys back, but Martinez threatened to kill him again and then drove away in the vehicle, police said.

Investigators were able to identify Martinez as the suspect after locating evidence he inadvertently left at the scene of the carjacking.

On Oct. 15, Vallejo police located the stolen vehicle in the 1200 block of Georgia Street in Vallejo.

On Friday, Milpitas detectives saw Martinez in the same area and took him into custody with the help of Vallejo police.

--Bay City News