3 armed carjacking suspects arrested after pursuit by Stanislaus deputies ends in collision
A law enforcement pursuit of suspected armed robbers ended with the use of a spike strip in Stanislaus County on Monday morning, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies chased a Volkswagen Bug occupied by three suspects for about 30 minutes before it crashed into a deputy’s patrol car in Empire.
Before the pursuit, deputies went to the 800 block of Mirandy Lane in Waterford at about 1 p.m. to respond to a caller’s request for service after he was allegedly held up for his 2010 Beetle.
The person said three men, two of which had guns, robbed him of his personal belongings and his car. When deputies searched the area, they found the Beetle going west on Yosemite Boulevard near Claus Road.
The Sheriff’s Office said that when deputies tried to pull over the car, the driver fled — leading them on a pursuit through Modesto and into Empire.
As deputies chased the Bug, two handguns were thrown from it and later recovered, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Near Edgebrook Drive and Colfax Avenue, 36-year-old Jonathan Witt tempted to flee on foot but was “quickly apprehended” by a K9 named Renzo, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Shortly after, the car was disabled with the use of a spike strip. The pursuit came to end on B Street when the Bug struck a patrol deputy’s car.
According to the Sheriff’s Office’s press release, a deputy not directly involved in the pursuit who was trying to help was involved in a traffic collision with “an uninvolved vehicle” occupied by an adult and a child. The release stated no one was injured.
In total, three men were arrested in connection with the suspected armed carjacking and pursuit: 33-year-old Benjamin Witt, Jonathan Witt and 23-year-old Nathan Green. The Sheriff’s Office had not responded to confirmation requests as of Tuesday regarding Benjamin and Jonathan’s possible relation.
The release stated deputies knew of Green because he had an active warrant for his arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon charged.
Benjamin Witt was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime, as was Jonathan Witt. However, Jonathan also was charged with vehicle theft, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, felony evading, resisting arrest and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Green was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime, vehicle theft, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, felony evasion and a being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
