Teens arrested following armed robberies, assaults, police chase in San Rafael
Police arrested three juveniles following a pair of violent armed robberies of two other juveniles and a police chase in San Rafael, authorities said Friday.
San Rafael Police said the incidents all happened over the span of several hours Wednesday morning. Shortly after 8:30 a.m., Terra Linda High School officials told police that a student was assaulted in the school parking lot just before classes started.
It was determined several suspects, possibly juveniles, jumped out of a white Chevrolet Suburban and physically assaulted the victim. The suspects then got back into the vehicle and fled, police said. At the time, it appeared to be an isolated incident and school officials provided information about the possible suspect.
During the investigation, it was later learned that the suspects also robbed the victim during the altercation.
At around 10 a.m., police received two separate calls from witnesses who spotted the same Chevy Suburban driving around the city's Terra Linda district, including from a paramedic at Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center. Police said witnesses reported the occupants of the vehicle were wearing ski masks.
Just before 10:45 a.m., police received another report of a juvenile victim being attacked and robbed on the 300 block of Nova Albion Way. The victim was injured in the attack, police said. While investigating both incidents and searching the surrounding area, officers spotted the suspect vehicle near Munson Park.
The vehicle, with the occupants still wearing ski masks, sped away when officers approached, police said. The vehicle headed along eastbound Freitas Parkway to southbound U.S. Highway 101 as other units joined the chase.
The Suburban exited the Lincoln Avenue off-ramp, ran a red light, and headed south along Lincoln Avenue toward downtown San Rafael. Officers set up a roadblock on Lincoln Avenue at the Mission Avenue intersection to intercept the vehicle and prevent it from getting into the downtown area.
The suspect vehicle approached awaiting officers at the intersection, slowed down, and came to a stop. Police said three suspects were taken into custody without further incident; all three were determined to be juveniles.
A search of the vehicle yielded several ski masks, a large hunting knife, and property that had been stolen from the victims, police said.
All three were booked into Marin County Juvenile Hall on charges of felony robbery, felony evading with wanton disregard for public safety, battery with serious bodily injury, and conspiring to commit a crime.
Anyone with information about the crimes was asked to call San Rafael Police at (415) 485-3000. Tips can also be made online at srpd.org/tips.