Police Saturday said they have arrested a 37-year-old parolee who they suspect tried to carjack another motorist at the scene of a two-vehicle crash in Irwindale, in which he had been allegedly driving a stolen car.
The suspect, Mario Anthony Barillas of Baldwin Park, was arrested Tuesday in Covina without incident for his alleged role in a July 29 crash in the area of Arrow Highway, east of Bleecker Street, Irwindale Police Sgt. Rudy Gatto said.
Officers dispatched to that location at around 3:10 p.m. found that the driver of one of the vehicles had fled the scene on foot and tried to carjack another nearby vehicle as he was leaving the crash scene, Gatto said.
Baldwin Park and Irwindale police officers, as well as a helicopter from the Pasadena Police Department searched the area, but were unable to find the suspect.
“It was later found that the vehicle the suspect was driving at the time of the traffic accident was a stolen vehicle,” Gatto said.
Two people, including a 70-year-old woman who suffered major injuries, were injured in the crash.
An initial report followed up by an extensive follow-up investigation eventually identified Barillas as a suspect. The Baldwin Park resident was booked on Tuesday at the Glendora Police Department on suspicion of felony hit and run, possession of a stolen vehicle, felony reckless driving, attempted carjacking and violation of his probation conditions.
Barillas was being held in lieu of $1,010,000 bail at the sheriff’s North County Correctional facility, pending court appearances, Gatto said.
Irwindale police asked anyone with information regarding the traffic crash to call them at (626) 430-2239.
—City News Service