A man faces charges including carjacking after he allegedly forced a good Samaritan to hand over his car under the threat of violence, authorities say. Alexis Israel Lizarraga, 35, of Mecca, California, was arrested and charged with carjacking, vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, and driving without a license.
According to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, the victim kindly offered Lizarraga a lift from Mecca to Indio, only for the ride to take a terrifying turn on Jan. 30. Once they arrived in Indio, the carjacker intimidated the generous driver, threatening to shoot if he didn't give up his Nissan Sentra. The shaken victim complied, and Lizarraga allegedly sped away.
The abandoned vehicle was located the next day back in Mecca. Based on the victim's identification of the suspect, and a detailed investigation, RAID detectives executed a search warrant at Lizarraga's home, culminating in his arrest on January 31.
Lizarraga was out on his own recognizance for an earlier vehicle theft from December 2023 when he supposedly committed the recent offenses, adding weight to the prosecution's case. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Feb. 2, and is due back in court on Feb. 26, for a felony settlement conference. In an additional twist, his past charges include that of being a felon already in possession of a firearm.
The RAID unit, a task force encompassing members from various law enforcement agencies in Riverside County, specializes in tackling organized auto theft, from chop shops to vehicle identification number (VIN) tampering operations. Their collaborative efforts with the District Attorney's Office play a crucial role in bringing repeat offenders like Lizarraga to justice.
