A man carjacked two drivers and attacked one of them with a bottle before being arrested late Friday, authorities said.
Markkis Porsche Sonier, 24, of Long Beach was booked on suspicion of carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon following his arrest, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials and county booking records.
The series of crimes began about 8:50 p.m. in the parking lot of Denny’s restaurant, on 7th Avenue near the 60 Freeway, Sgt. Michael Mileski said.
“The suspect told the victim he had a gun and demanded his vehicle,” Mileski said. The victim complied, and the carjacker sped off in the man’s Dodge Neon.
Minutes later, Sonier abandoned the Dodge nearby at Turnbull Canyon Road and Gale Avenue in Industry, Mileski said. He then turned it attention to a woman with a Lexus sedan in a parking lot.
“He assaulted her with a bottle,” Mileski said.
The woman was struck in the head, Sgt. Greg Taylor said in an written statement. She was treated by paramedics for minor injuries.
The suspect then fled in the woman’s car, which was spotted by deputies just around the corner, officials said.
“As Industry station deputies were responding to area of the first carjacking, the suspect nearly collided into a patrol car,” Taylor said. “Realizing that the vehicle that nearly collided into them could possibly be related to the carjacking which had just happened, deputies conducted a traffic stop and detained the driver without incident.”
Sonier was already on probation for assault, Taylor added.
According to booking records, Sonier was being held in lieu of $185,000 bail pending his initial appearance Tuesday in West Covina Superior Court.