Driver set on fire in Northern California carjacking, deputies say. Suspects are sought
A driver was carjacked, robbed and set on fire Wednesday night in rural Northern California by a group of suspects who remain at large, authorities said.
A 33-year-old man was driving near Hutchinson Road and South George Washington Boulevard, just south of Yuba City, shortly before 11 p.m. when he was flagged down by a woman next to a black SUV stopped on the side of the road, the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
As the victim stopped and approached the woman to see if she needed assistance, two men got out of the SUV, one of whom appeared to be holding a firearm while the other held a knife, according to the release. The firearm, later recovered, turned out to be a replica.
“The male suspects zip tied the victim’s legs, poured gasoline on him and set him on fire,” sheriff’s officials wrote. The victim put out the fire by rolling on the ground.
The suspects stole the victim’s wallet and vehicle, the Sheriff’s Office said. The vehicle was found abandoned several miles away, according to the news release.
Sheriff’s detectives are investigating the incident. The suspects have not been identified.
