Federal prosecutors say a Friday night shift at a Placentia restaurant ended in chaos when a worker leaving for the evening was attacked in her SUV and nearly run down as the suspect sped off in her car.
According to a federal complaint, 30-year-old Miguel Abrajan-Morales of Fullerton allegedly climbed into the passenger seat of the woman’s Ford Bronco as she sat in the vehicle, struck her, and then fought with a coworker who rushed in to help. Prosecutors say Abrajan-Morales then slid behind the wheel, drove off, and “nearly struck” both employees in the parking lot before fleeing. Authorities later arrested him in Ontario on March 1, and he is being held at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange County.
Those allegations are laid out in a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California. Federal complaints filed in Santa Ana charge Abrajan-Morales with carjacking and with being an illegal alien found in the United States following deportation. Prosecutors also note he faces a separate Orange County assault-with-a-deadly-weapon case in superior court. He is expected to make an initial federal appearance in the United States District Court in Santa Ana in the coming weeks.
What prosecutors say
Prosecutors say the trouble started Friday evening as the two employees were leaving work in Placentia. Abrajan-Morales allegedly entered the Bronco without warning and struck the woman inside, prompting her coworker to intervene. The two men then traded blows in the parking lot, according to authorities. After the struggle, the defendant is accused of jumping into the driver’s seat, taking off in the Bronco, and nearly hitting both employees as he exited the lot, later crashing into a parked Honda Civic. Those details were summarized by the FBI in Los Angeles.
Investigation and custody
The U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, says law enforcement arrested Abrajan-Morales on March 1 in Ontario. Homeland Security Investigations' Integrated Operations Group, the Placentia Police Department, and the Ontario Police Department all assisted in the investigation. Officials reviewing his immigration records reported that Abrajan-Morales had been deported twice in October 2016 and had no record of lawful permission to reenter the United States. Prosecutors say the federal carjacking count carries a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, while the illegal-reentry charge carries up to two years.
Potential penalties and next steps
Abrajan-Morales remains in state custody while the federal complaints move forward, with Orange County prosecutors pursuing the separate assault case in superior court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aylin B. Kuzucan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth D. Bisland are listed as the prosecutors on the federal matter. As with all federal complaints, the filing contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.
