Rideshare driver jumps from moving vehicle in San Mateo to escape carjacking; suspect arrested
SAN MATEO – A rideshare driver who was carjacked at knifepoint late Sunday night and told to drive from San Jose to San Mateo was able to escape by jumping from her vehicle, police said.
Around 10:10 p.m., officers were called to the area of Cypress Avenue and North Humboldt Street on reports of a hit-and-run. When officers arrived, they found the victim, who said she picked up the suspect in San Jose.
The victim told police that when they reached their destination, also in San Jose, the suspect held a knife to her and told her to drive north on Highway 101.
During the drive, police said the suspect made a 911 call intercepted by Mountain View Police. The caller told the dispatcher that someone was trying to kill him, but was also laughing.
After exiting in San Mateo, the victim said she found an opportunity to escape and jumped out of her vehicle as it was slowing down. Police said the suspect then took over the vehicle and fled the scene.
The victim was not injured. At least two vehicles sustained minor damage during the incident.
About two hours later, police said the victim's vehicle was eventually found in Morgan Hill, 50 miles away.
During the investigation, police were able to identify a phone number linked to the suspect. Surveillance footage of where the victim's vehicle was located also showed a man matching the suspect description, police said.
Around 6 a.m. Monday, a San Mateo police officer was flagged down by a man who was identified as the suspect. Police said the man told the officer that he was a bad person and needed to go to jail.
During the encounter, police said the man was found to be in possession of fentanyl and had returned to San Mateo in a stolen vehicle. The knife used in the incident was also recovered.
The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Randy Jay of San Jose, was booked on multiple charges, including carjacking, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats and exhibiting a deadly weapon.
Jay is being held at the San Mateo County Jail. It was not immediately known when Jay would appear in court on the charges.
