‘But he didn’t stop there’: Kent couple lead police on carjacking spree

A Kent couple is facing multiple charges after they led police on a chaotic chase Tuesday afternoon.

During the spree, police said three vehicles were carjacked, including Michelle Zumwalt.

“When I cracked the door the guy raised up a big, huge wrench and I knew I made a mistake,” she said. “I went to grab the door back but he was too strong and he yanked the door out of my arm and then he threatened me.”

“He raised it up and said ‘get the f*** out or die,’” she said.

Police said the suspects are 26-year-old Ernesto Rojas-Renteria and 24-year-old Brandy Gomez. The two were in a stolen Escalade when they were identified by the King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian One helicopter.

Guardian One tracked the vehicle to a Shell gas station but when officers tried to approach, they sped off. Later, the couple stopped at another intersection and got out of the car. Video shows Rojas-Renteria approaching the driver’s side and pulling Zumwalt out of her SUV.

“I went to step out and he grabbed my arm and threw me on the ground and then the door shut and I could just hear yelling,” Zumwalt said. “But he didn’t stop there, not long after, he stopped in another intersection, got out and carjacked another vehicle.”

This time it was a blue SUV and the driver tried to fight him off but was unsuccessful. He eventually crashed into another vehicle which forced him to stop.

Video shows Rojas-Renteria getting out of the passenger side and lying on the ground. He was then arrested and taken into custody. Gomez was involved in a rollover crash nearby and tried to run off, but Guardian One helped locate her in the trees. She was also arrested and taken into custody.

The two made their first appearances in court where they faced a judge for the first time Wednesday.