One suspect arrested, search ongoing for second suspect in Solana Beach armed robbery/traffic pursuit case

Authorities were on the lookout Aug. 14 for one of two teens suspected of robbing one person, threatening another and leading sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed pursuit through Del Mar that ended in a crash.

Someone spotted the two suspects running after a man in the vicinity of Stevens and South Nardo avenues in Solana Beach and called for help shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, sheriff’s Sgt. Colin Ingraham said.

The victim told deputies the suspects approached him while he was jogging, asked if he was in a gang then threatened to assault him with a skateboard and a broomstick to show their gang had been there, Ingraham said.

The victim took off running, and the suspects were close behind until they spotted a second target, who was riding his bicycle home from work.

The teens demanded the second victim’s cell phone, backpack and bike and threatened to kill him if he disobeyed. They also made sure he had turned over everything he had, Ingraham said.

They threw the man’s property into the bed of a nearby pickup truck, but threw the items into the roadway as they sped away, according to the sergeant.

A deputy spotted the suspects’ pickup at the intersection of Camino Del Mar and 28th Street in Del Mar a short time later and attempted to pull it over. But the suspects continued onto Coast Boulevard at a high rate of speed, blowing through several stop signs along the way, Ingraham said.

Ingraham said the driver lost control while rounding the corner onto 13th Street and crashed the pickup into a parked car. Both suspects got out and ran toward the dead end, tumbled down a bluff leading to the beach and continued their bid to flee.

One of the suspects, who is a minor, was caught near the intersection of Coast Boulevard and 15th Street. He was arrested and booked into juvenile hall on suspicion of armed robbery and making criminal threats, Ingraham said.

The other got away. The suspect at large was described as a heavyset Hispanic man, 18 to 19 years old and about 5 feet 4 wearing a dark, checkered, button-down short-sleeve shirt.

Anyone with information on the second suspect’s identity or whereabouts was asked to call the sheriff’s department at (858) 565-5200 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.