VISTA–Sheriff’s deputies arrested two men who carjacked a driver at gunpoint and left the scene of a hit-and-run.
The suspects, Joseph Laxton, 26, and Ricardo Hernandez, 30, were booked on charges of carjacking, hit-and-run, a felon in possession of a firearm, drugs, violating parole, threat causing death or great bodily injury and participating in a criminal street gang.
Investigators said the suspects yanked a man out of his car in the 900 block of Postal Way in Vista just before 3 p.m. on Tuesday. They then crashed into another car and took off. A detective who happened to be in the area heard the call on the radio and started looking for the suspects. When he spotted the stolen car, he safely followed and relayed information regarding the direction of the car to Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter flying overhead. Responding deputies from the Vista Sheriff’s Station then took over the brief chase. The car ended up crashing into a curb with the driver and passenger running away. Deputies caught up with the driver at a nearby parking lot and the passenger along South Santa Fe Avenue. A loaded gun and illegal drugs were found in the stolen car.
