Today, just before 9:00 a.m., Pima County deputies responded to a neighborhood in the 4600 block of West Calle Don Tomas for reports of a suspicious vehicle. Upon arrival, deputies discovered the vehicle and observed multiple suspects attempting to remove license plates from vehicles in the neighborhood.
As deputies approached the suspects, they fled the area in a vehicle. The pursuit led deputies to the area of Pima Community College’s Santa Cruz campus where the suspects proceeded into the parking lot.
While the suspects were in the parking lot, a deputy observed them use handguns to carjack a vehicle containing multiple children and their mother. As the suspects were leaving the parking lot in the stolen vehicle, they struck a patrol vehicle belonging to the Sheriff’s department. Deputies continued to pursue the stolen vehicle and were provided information that a 9-month old baby was still inside. The stolen vehicle was driving erratically and suffered extensive damage, including losing a tire. This caused the vehicle to come to a stop in the area of South Country Club Road and East Fairland Stravenue, at which time two suspects fled the vehicle on foot. Deputies located both suspects a short time later. The 9-month old child was also found and is safe.
Detectives have arrested 25-year-old Fabian Garcia and 22-year-old Antonio Morales Jr each with nine (9) counts of Aggravated Assault, one (1) count of Kidnapping, one (1) count of Aggravated Robbery, one (1) count of Armed Robbery, and one (1) count of Theft of Means of Transportation. Mr. Garcia was also charged with one (1) count of Unlawful Flight from Law Enforcement for driving the vehicle during the chase. This investigation is ongoing.