Crash Kills Suspected Carjacker

A suspected carjacker was killed and his companion was injured early Sunday when the car they allegedly stole crashed into a guardrail at about 100 mph as police pursued them, Newport Beach police said.

The driver, an unidentified man about 18 to 25 year old, was thrown through the rear window and suffered head injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Sgt. Mike McDermott said.

The passenger, John Fierro Jr., 18, of Pico Rivera, was thrown from the car through a passenger side window. He suffered minor injuries and was treated at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and released.

Neither of the suspects was wearing a seat belt, McDermott said.

Police said Fierro was booked on suspicion of carjacking and murder and is being held at the Orange County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.

“Under the felony murder rule, anyone who participates in a felony crime that results in the death of another person, whether it’s the victim, witness or another defendant, is liable for murder,” McDermott said.

The carjacking began about 2:30 a.m. in Corona del Mar at Carmelo’s Restaurant on East Coast Highway.

McDermott said the two suspects, one armed with a semiautomatic handgun, confronted a musician escorting a waitress to her car after work.

“The suspects demanded the victims’ cash and their car keys,” McDermott said. “The musician ran back into the restaurant after seeing the gun and called for help.”

Allegedly, after taking the waitress’ keys, the men drove off in her 1998 Chevrolet Malibu.

Neither the waitress nor the musician was injured, officials said.

The musician told another restaurant employee, who followed the suspects and called police on his cellular phone, McDermott said.

The alleged carjackers eluded officers briefly but were spotted on MacArthur Boulevard going toward the northbound San Joaquin Hills tollway after police stationed patrol officers at several intersections in the area, McDermott said.

“When they got on the transition ramp they struck a guardrail on the right side,” he said.

“The car spun around and hit the left side of the guardrail. That ejected both suspects right out of their shoes.”