On Monday August 27, a woman was carjacked as she stood next to her car. The victim, a 70-year-old Santa Rosa woman, was at the tire shop at the Santa Rosa Costco store when the crime took place. According to news reports, a 23-year-old woman with a dog jumped into the driver’s seat of the victim’s car, tossed her dog into the back seat and drove off.
As the car began to drive away, the owner attempted to stop the theft by holding the driver’s door open. Santa Rosa police Sgt. Lisa Banayat stated that the victim ran along with the car as the carjacker continued to speed up; eventually, the victim was knocked to the ground by the car door and had to be hospitalized that same evening. The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. The owner’s car, a gray Toyota Camry, was located by officers approximately an hour later at a convenience store nearby.
Kailee Rose Eicher of Santa Rosa, the suspect in the carjacking, was found walking near Burt Street on Santa Rosa Avenue. According to Banayat, the alleged suspect attempted to run for a brief time, but was apprehended and taken into custody. She was identified by a witness to the crime and arrested on charges of resisting arrest and suspicion of carjacking. Bail for Eicher was set at $100,000; her dog was taken to the animal shelter in Sonoma County.
In the state of California, carjacking is a felony crime punishable by up to 9 years in state prison, even more if you use a gun in the commission of the crime, injure a victim (whether the driver or a passenger), commit the offense in order to benefit a gang or kidnap someone in committing the offense.
Santa Rosa criminal defense attorneys have a variety of defenses at their disposal to protect the freedom and legal rights of those charged with carjacking. You may be a victim of mistaken identity, or did not use force or fear of harm in the commission of the carjacking.
Regardless of your guilt or innocence, it is critical that you consult with a skilled Santa Rosa criminal defense lawyer when you have been arrested for carjacking or any criminal offense. The sooner you act, the sooner your attorney can begin work on an effective, solid defense strategy.
