Deadly stabbing at I-5 gas station may be final act in violent crime spree, sheriff says

A truck driver was found fatally stabbed Saturday at a remote gas station off Interstate 5, with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office saying the suspect may be responsible for two earlier carjackings.

Deputies responded at 7:30 a.m. to the parking lot of the EZ Trip Travel Center at 44779 Lassen Ave.

Avenal Police, California Highway Patrol and Kings County Sheriff’s officers and deputies arrived at the scene near the city of Avenal and the Fresno-Kings county border, and found a man with stab wounds.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies said another man, determined to be the suspect, was at the gas station and detained by officers.

Isaiah Christopher Harley, 21, was booked into the Fresno County Jail on Saturday evening on a murder charge. His bail was set at $1 million.

The person who was killed was described as a truck driver, who apparently had given the other man a ride. Detectives have not determined where the two met or what led up to the stabbing.

Although the Sheriff’s Office said it was considered a “random attack,” detectives are looking into the possibility that the suspect recently committed carjackings in Oakland and Bakersfield before going to Fresno County.

The name of the victim will be released later, deputies said.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact sheriff’s Det. Juan Galindo at 559-600-8215 or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867 or valleycrimestoppers.org. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.