According to Humboldt Co. Sheriff Sergeant, Ernie Stewart and the Del Norte Triplicate, an alleged Humboldt County carjacker was tracked via the victim’s cell phone to Crescent City where he was arrested and extradited back to the Eureka Jail.

On the evening of September 27th, said Stewart, “There was gentleman in the area of the Blue Lake Casino.” A man approached the gentleman and offered him $10 to drive McKinleyville.  Eventually, three people ended up getting in the car.  During the drive, “one subject,” said Stewart, “pulled out a gun and wanted his money, his cell phone.”  There was a brief struggle with the gun shot off at least once in the car.  The victim, who was driving, managed to pull over, and escape into the vegetation at the side of the road.

The suspects drove off with vehicle—a 1999 Acura sedan, the cell phone, and money. 

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HSO)traced the cell phone by triangulating where the signal had been last detected by a cell phone tower.

According to the Triplicate, the trace showed that the phone was in the area of Crescent City Harbor.  The HSO then asked the Del Norte Sheriff’s Office (DNSO) to look for the stolen Acura in that area.  The DNSO was unable to find it until they widened their search. The Triplicate writes,

Sheriff’s Deputy Richard Griffin eventually came across the stolen vehicle near a multi-housing unit on the corner of Cooper Avenue and Butte Street, [Del Norte County Sheriff’s Commander Bill] Steven said.

“He did a little investigating to figure out which units they were in and found them,” said Steven.

During the subsequent search, a .22 caliber pistol was discovered inside the Acura.  Three suspects were arrested—two from Crescent City, Jennifer M. Steinhoff (age 30) as well as Romeo B. Glaze (age 25) and an Arcata resident, Tony Bradley Read (age 35.)

Read (pictured above) was extradited to Humboldt County on September October 2nd.