Carjacking suspect arrested in Santa Rosa after crashing pickup near Stony Point Road

A would-be automobile thief was thwarted Saturday by an obstinate owner who refused to relinquish his ride and instead jumped into the vehicle as the stranger tried to drive away in it.

The suspect soon crashed into a street light, jumped out of the pickup and ran away, only to be apprehended and arrested about two hours later, Santa Rosa police said.

Destiny Nicholle Case, 42, was still being held at the Sonoma County jail Sunday on suspicion of felony carjacking and hit-and-run, causing injury. Her bail was $120,000.

The incident unfolded at a public storage space just off the Joe Rodota Trail at the north end of Lombardi Court, west of Stony Point Road, police said.

The victim in the case had gotten out of his Nissan truck and was at his storage unit when a woman ran up, climbed into the driver’s side and got ready to drive it away, police Sgt. Brandon Matthies said.

But instead of letting her take it, the victim jumped into the passenger seat just as she started speeding south toward Sebastopol Road, Matthies said.

He was pleading with her and pushing her, and by the time they reached the intersection, she had crashed into the light pole and fled on foot, Matthies said.

Passersby reported the 5:44 p.m. crash, drawing an ambulance and police response to the area.

The victim, whose name was not released, was treated for injuries at the crash site and then released to go home. His truck was not driveable, Matthies said.

Police officers, meanwhile, searched the vicinity but were unable to find anyone matching his description of the suspect, at first.

Then, about two hours later, an officer in the area saw Case in the area of the Stony Point Road and the Joe Rodota Trail.

Case, who police described as homeless, matched the description and was positively identified by the victim in the field, Matthies said.

You can reach Staff Writer Mary Callahan at 707-521-5249 or mary.callahan@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MaryCallahanB.