VISTA, Calif. – A man and woman were detained and two others were being sought in connection with a series of violent incidents in Vista early Wednesday morning.
The situation began at about 4:30 a.m. when San Diego County sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call regarding a road rage incident on Gopher Canyon Road. According to the caller, a repo truck with a vehicle in tow was being followed by two cars. One of the suspects in the cars pulled out a shotgun and fired at least one shot at the repo truck.
The repo truck was able to continue on Gopher Canyon Road, where it was met by deputies. The driver of the truck was not hurt.
One of the suspect cars crashed into a ditch at the intersection of Gopher Canyon Road and East Vista Way, a California Highway Patrol officer told 10News. Two suspects crawled out of the crashed car and approached a Good Samaritan in a Dodge Neon who had stopped to help them. The two suspects carjacked the woman at gunpoint and escaped in her car.
Meanwhile, the second suspect vehicle stopped at a nearby ampm convenience store at 5555 Mission Rd. in Bonsall. Deputies surrounded the store and detained the man and woman. It was later determined the man and woman were not involved.
The search is continuing for the two suspects who escaped in the carjacked Neon, the CHP officer said.
"When I pulled up this morning, I was surprised to see all the police vehicles here. We weren't sure what happened," said Oceanside resident Alex Stollfuss.
10News told Alex Stollfuss exactly what happened when he returned several hours later.
"It's just hard to see that happen so close. I just live down the ways," said Stollfuss.
A dangerous chain of crimes in the North County may be the work of a larger auto-theft ring.
Sheriff's deputies may not have known about this ring if it wasn't for a chain of events that happened Wednesday morning.
An hour after the initial crash, deputies learned the suspects who got away in the Neon had also tried to carjack another person in Temecula. In that incident, deputies said the suspects fired shots, but the other would-be victim plowed his way through and got away.
The suspects in the Neon also fled the scene.
"We're kind of surprised that this happens in this little town of Bonsall," said resident Bob Connolly.
Sheriff's deputies are now investigating the suspects' possible involvement in a larger auto theft ring.
The tow truck driver and carjacking victims weren't hurt.
