A Hollister man was arrested Thursday night an hour after
allegedly stabbing a suspected rival gang member during a
carjacking.
Hollister – A Hollister man was arrested Thursday night an hour after allegedly stabbing a suspected rival gang member during a carjacking.
Andrew Lopez, a 19-year-old Norteño gang member, was arrested on charges of felony attempted murder, carjacking, auto theft, assaulting a peace officer and participation in a criminal street gang after allegedly stabbing a Hollister man on Union Heights Road and stealing his car, according to the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to Union Heights Road Thursday night after a Hollister resident reported that a man had been stabbed nearby, according to Lt. Roy Iler. Deputies found the victim, Carlos Gonzalez, after he had stumbled to a nearby home bleeding from at least two stab wounds. Gonzalez was taken to Hazel Hawkins Hospital and later flown to an undisclosed San Jose-area hospital in serious condition, Iler said.
“Gonzalez had serious injuries and was losing a lot of blood,” he said.
Less than an hour after the alleged carjacking, Lopez apparently hit a parked car in San Juan Bautista while driving the stolen car. Deputies believe Lopez fled the car on foot after the crash and hid in the backyard of nearby home. Several San Juan Bautista residents reported spotting the man, Iler said. Deputies took Lopez in custody after a brief struggle, during which he allegedly hit one deputy and kicked another. He was subdued after being shot with a Taser stun gun, Iler said.
Gonzalez is believed by police to be a member of the Sureño street gang, Iler said. Deputies believe Lopez asked Gonzalez for a ride to a family member’s house earlier Thursday night. Gonzalez agreed to give Lopez a ride, possibly because the two men live in the same neighborhood, Iler said. Gonzalez later told investigators that Lopez had ordered him to get out of the car. When he refused, Lopez stabbed him in the stomach. Gonzalez told deputies that he tried to run away, but was stabbed a second time in the back, Iler said.
After Lopez was taken to the San Benito County Jail, deputies searched his Hollister home, turning up Norteño headbands, gang pictures and a roster of 10 Norteño gang members, Iler said.
Undersheriff Pat Turturici thanked San Juan Bautista residents for helping deputies catch Lopez.
“This was a perfect example of community policing,” he said. “We might not have been able to catch this guy if it hadn’t been for the help of community members.”
Sheriff Curtis Hill said Lopez was considered a “hardcore” Norteño gang member.
“The danger of these guys is that they just take what they want,” he said. “This guy is claiming Norteño and he’s proud of it.”
Deputies have no evidence to suggest Thursday’s stabbing was connected to a similar stabbing last Tuesday on Hawkins Rd. in Hollister. However, Hill said the investigation is still ongoing.
Lopez is being held at the San Benito County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail. If convicted of attempted murder, he could face a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or br******@fr***********.com.
