Early in the morning of April 11, San Benito County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Leist was asked to assist a California Highway Patrol officer in stopping a car that had been involved in a carjacking in Santa Nella. The suspect vehicle had just entered into San Benito County on Highway 156 after midnight when Leist and the CHP officer tried to stop the car and a vehicle pursuit ensued.
According to a statement from Capt. Eric Taylor of the Sheriff's Office, during the chase that ended on Merrill Road, the suspect — Joseph Salazar — threw a handgun out of the vehicle near the intersection of San Felipe Road.
Salazar, crashed into a guard rail on Hwy. 156 near Searle Road, according to Taylor, and the car ended up coming to a stop on Merrill Road. Salazar then fled on foot and was captured by Sergeant Adam Lobdell of the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Fernando Tellez later located the suspected — and loaded — firearm at the location where it was apparently thrown from the car. Salazar and the handgun were turned over to CHP officers from Merced County. The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office had no further information on the carjacking crime in Santa Nella.