Carjacking suspects arrested near Santa Rosa, K-9 used in arrest

Suspects in an armed carjacking were arrested this weekend near Santa Rosa and one of them was taken into custody after being snagged by a K-9 unit, officials said Monday.

Robert Ross III, 26, and Sherry Varela, 34, were each arrested Sunday on suspicion of carjacking, robbery and conspiracy, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. Ross also is accused of resisting arrest and both have arrest warrants issued in unrelated misdemeanor cases.

The carjacking occurred shortly after 7 a.m. Sunday when a driver picked up the suspects in the 3300 block of Santa Rosa Avenue, just south of the Santa Rosa city limits.

The Sheriff’s Office didn’t specify if the driver knew the suspects or was with a rideshare service.

They traveled less than a mile to the 3400 block of Brooks Avenue when one of the suspects allegedly threatened the driver with a knife and demanded money, officials said, adding that the other suspect damaged a car seat.

The driver ran away after handing over an unspecified amount of money. He was not injured, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The car was found and returned to the owner Sunday, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Officials didn’t specify where they found the vehicle.

Investigators identified the suspects as Varela, a Petaluma resident, and Ross, a transient.

Varela was arrested at about 10:30 a.m. in the 400 block of Ott Drive, about a half-mile east of where the carjacking occurred.

Ross was arrested just before 10 a.m. near Santa Rosa Avenue and Todd Road, where a K-9 unit found him riding a bicycle, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The K-9 was deployed after Ross fled and he was treated for a bite to his arm, officials said.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi