Suspect Wreaks Havoc In Lake Forest Crime Spree: Cops

LAKE FOREST, CA —Sheriff's deputies arrested a man on suspicion of committing "multiple offenses" in a nine-minute Lake Forest crime spree that included carjacking, attempted murder, and felony hit and run, the Orange County Sheriff's Department said.

James Carlos Melendrez, 25, of Anaheim was booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder, carjacking, and two attempted carjackings, OCSD reported. He is currently being held on $2 million bail.

On Tuesday afternoon, Lake Forest was the center of police activity when Melendrez became "involved in a fight near the Salvation Army store on Rockfield Boulevard," OCSD spokeswoman Carrie Braun said.

"He fled the fight and ran into an apartment complex on Ridge Route Drive," she said. Once there, he entered an apartment where a man and woman "confronted him" before he took off on foot, once again.

"Melendrez then ran across Rockfield into a neighborhood, and smashed a window, entering another home on Danby Drive," she said. A mother and her two teenagers occupied that home.

"He armed himself with a knife at that point," Braun said. "The woman attempted to lure him away from the teenagers by fleeing the house. He chased the mother down Danby Drive onto Mullin Road."

At that point, Melendrez caught up with the woman and stabbed her "multiple times."

Several people in the area attempted to step in and help the woman, including a driver of a white BMW who stopped to assist.

Melendrez started to chase the good Samaritans, then carjacked the vehicle.
Orange County Sheriff's Department arrived on the scene to treat the stabbing victim, Braun said.

He then drove off onto Lake Forest Drive and Muirlands Boulevard, driving erratically into oncoming traffic.

"(Melendrez) struck a 50-year-old woman, walking on the sidewalk of Muirlands Boulevard," Braun said. "She was transported to the hospital in critical condition."

Driving off, the suspect down Aspan Street and crashed into another car.

"He then ran off on foot and attempted to break into another home, but was unsuccessful," she said. Melendrez tried to carjack multiple other cars on Muirlands Boulevard until a cyclist passing by pepper sprayed him into submission.

OCSD arrived at the scene and arrested him.

"It was a total of nine-minutes from the time Dispatch received the first call to the time when the suspect was in custody," Braun said. "There is no further threat to the community, and the investigation is ongoing."