Two people arrested in Stockton after a Fresno carjacking were identified by police as 32-year-old Deshawn Lamar Price and 24-year-old Praya Briann Smith. The investigation involved automated license plate readers, which officers used to locate the stolen car and later a vehicle associated with the suspects. Both were extradited back to Fresno following their arrest.
A Violent Theft on McKinley Avenue
Police say the carjacking happened on October 2, when officers responded to the area of East McKinley Avenue and North Peach Avenue regarding what they described as a strong-armed carjacking, according to KMPH. Police later named two suspects as Price and Smith.
KMPH reported that Fresno police used an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) to locate the victim’s car. Days later, on October 7, officers used the technology to find the suspects’ vehicle in Stockton.
Arrest and Extradition Follow Stockton Discovery
KMPH reported that Price and Smith were taken into custody after officers located their vehicle and were booked into the San Joaquin County Jail. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office extradited both suspects to Fresno in connection with the McKinley Avenue carjacking.
Vehicle Theft Data Put the Case in Context
The California Highway Patrol’s 2025 fact sheet reports 133,372 vehicle thefts statewide, 24.3% fewer than in 2024. Its county table lists 3,377 thefts in Fresno in 2025, down 26.5% from 4,597 in 2024. A July announcement on Governor Gavin Newsom’s website likewise described a nearly 25% statewide decline and said it was the second consecutive year of decline. These figures cover vehicle theft, not this individual carjacking.
