In the pre-dawn darkness of San Rafael, a violent scuffle at Motel 6 led to the arrest of a 30-year-old convicted felon for a slew of charges, including domestic violence and carjacking. Oliver Wendell Andersen III, of Vallejo, found himself in handcuffs after police said he attacked a woman and stole her car on Sunday, according to the San Rafael Police Department.
FELON ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CARJACKING, AND LOADED GUN POSSESSION
— San Rafael Police Department (@SanRafaelPolice) January 7, 2024
In the early morning hours of Sunday, January 7, 2024, SRPD Officers went to Motel 6 in San Rafael on a report of a domestic violence and stolen vehicle incident. Oliver Wendell Andersen III, a… pic.twitter.com/HU72JBSEaf
San Rafael officers were dispatched to the motel on Francisco Boulevard East just after 2:50 AM following a 9-1-1 call by a witness who reportedly saw Andersen assault the victim and then take off in her vehicle. The police swiftly arrived, only to find Andersen brazenly cruising past the crime scene in the stolen car. In what seemed like an act scripted from a gritty crime drama, they managed to calmly apprehend him without further incident.
Earlier that night, Andersen and the victim had been at a downtown bar where an argument escalated to physical violence. Andersen is accused of punching and kicking the woman before they both left the establishment. The altercation resumed at Motel 6, where, during the altercation, Andersen allegedly snatched the victim's phone to prevent her from calling for help and then fled in her car.
A search of the vehicle revealed unsettling contents – a loaded .38 caliber revolver and extra ammunition belonging to Andersen, who readily admitted to possessing the gun. Andersen, who had an outstanding felony warrant from Solano County, was booked into Marin County Jail on multiple charges. These charges included felony carjacking and a spate of firearms violations.
The victim, who suffered minor injuries in the ordeal, received on-scene treatment from San Rafael Fire Department paramedics and did not require hospitalization.
