A 68-year-old man was hospitalized Friday morning after fighting off an attempted carjacker in downtown Santa Rosa.
According to the Press Democrat, police say the suspect struck the victim in the head and stole his keys near Brookwood Drive, but the victim managed to pull the assailant out of the vehicle before he could flee.
Officers quickly located the suspect, a San Francisco man recently released from jail, hiding behind a nearby residence thanks to a witness description of his teal backpack. The victim is expected to recover, while the suspect remains in Sonoma County jail on $100,000 bail.
He faces charges of carjacking and elder abuse, in addition to a probation violation. Investigators confirm the suspect had failed to report to authorities following his previous release in San Francisco.
