Santa Rosa car theft foiled by owner, police arrest two

Santa Rosa Police arrested two men Wednesday morning on suspicion of trying to steal a “for sale” car.

The car’s owner, who lives near where he had parked the Chevrolet Nova along Highway 12 near Calistoga Road, spotted the two loading his car onto a flatbed trailer attached to a truck, said Santa Rosa police Sgt. Jeneane Kucker.

He confronted the men, who said they were picking it up for the buyer, not realizing they were talking to the owner, Kucker said. The owner blocked them with his vehicle and called police around 7:45 a.m. The two men unhitched the trailer to abandon it and clipped the owner’s truck as they drove off, she said.

The owner followed them to the Mountain Hawk subdivision where they stopped their truck and ran.

One man was found near Melita Road and Queen Anne Drive and was taken into custody.

The second man initially escaped, but a Frito Lay driver working in the nearby Safeway parking lot had taken a photo of the suspect. Officers later located him near Calistoga Road and Firestone Place and determined he was involved in the crime.

Police on Wednesday night released their names. Francisco Velez, 52, and Damon Casparian, 46, both of Concord, were arrested on two complaints of auto theft, one complaint of possession of a stolen vehicle and one complaint of conspiracy to commit a criminal act.

- Randi Rossmann