Esteban Sandoval Jr., 37, a felon, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a four-hour carjacking spree that began in Santa Ana and ended in Orange, where he allegedly stole an SUV containing a developmentally disabled woman who was hurt while trying to get away from the suspect, according to the O.C. Register.
Sandoval Jr. is facing four counts of carjacking and one count of kidnapping, with sentencing enhancement allegations for a prior conviction for attempted robbery at an ATM last July, in which he was sentenced to a year in jail.
Sandoval Jr. has not been allowed to bail out. He remains in jail and is awaiting a July 18 pretrial hearing at the Central Justice Center.
Sandoval Jr. allegedly punched a victim at a Jack in the Box restaurant at 719 N. Bristol St., at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Sandoval Jr. then sped off in the victim’s car, according to the SAPD.
Police found the carjacked vehicle abandoned in Orange at about 9:30 a.m., according to the Orange Police Dept.
Police got another call about an assault during yet another apparent carjacking at a gas station at 1234 W. Chapman Ave. and less than thirty minutes later police were flagged down regarding another carjacking, if a Nissan Titan, at 2305 W. Chapman Ave., according to the Orange Police Department.
A man was then seen running towards a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado at noon at Collins Ave. and Tustin St. A responding police officer realized that the driver matched the description of the carjacking suspect.
As the suspect was pulling away in the Silverado his developmentally disabled adult daughter pushed open the passenger door of the vehicle and tumbled out but was not seriously injured.
The Orange police officer pulled the suspect over in the stolen vehicle and arrested him.
