Woman Carjacked at Knifepoint at Temecula Park, Police Confirm

Temecula police are still searching for a man suspected of carjacking a woman at knifepoint while she sat waiting for her daughter at soccer practice, a sergeant said.

Temecula police Sgt. Curt Harris said that about 8 p.m. Monday, the woman was parked and waiting to pick up her teenaged daughter at Patricia H. Birdsall Sports Park when a man allegedly slid in the passenger side of her white 2013 Mazda SUV and brandished a knife.

“At knifepoint, he took the car and drove off,” Harris said, noting the victim was not injured during the ordeal. “She was a little shaken up, obviously, but she was fine, unharmed.”

According to Harris, the license plate number of the vehicle was promptly flagged as stolen in a law enforcement database.

As it turned out, California Highway Patrol in the Morongo Valley-Yucca Valley area encountered the SUV early Tuesday morning when they attempted to stop its driver on suspicion of DUI, Harris said.

A pursuit ensued that ended in a crash; however, multiple subjects riding in the vehicle evaded capture, Harris went on to say.

Therefore, the carjacking suspect was still outstanding of Wednesday, he said.

Based on witness accounts, Harris said the knife-wielding perpetrator was described as an African American man between 20 and 25 years old and between 5 feet 6 and 5 feet 7 inches tall. He was clean shaven and wore a dark-colored baseball hat, a white pullover shirt and baggy pants, according to the sergeant.

“Unfortunately we don’t have much to go on but maybe somebody will recognize that kind of person walking around or have some more information,” Harris said. “We encourage them to call if they do.”

No other suspects were seen at the park, he noted.