Canyon Country Man Arrested in Carjacking

Suspected carjacker Ernest Samudio returned to the scene of the crime Thursday just a little too soon for his own good, sheriff’s deputies said.

Samudio, 28, of Canyon Country, and an unknown male accomplice had taken a late-model yellow Honda Prelude from a woman in a parking lot on Soledad Canyon Road at Sierra Highway about 5:40 p.m., Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. Richard Lichten said.

Samudio had pushed the woman aside as she left her car and the accomplice smashed the passenger’s side window apparently to get in quickly from his side, Lichten said.

The victim, an unidentified Canyon Country resident, told deputies that the two tried to run her over as they fled.

A few minutes later, Samudio returned to the scene to retrieve his car, and the victim recognized him, Lichten said. She wrote down his license plate number and contacted the Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies spotted his vehicle and followed it to a house in the 27100 block of Crossglade Avenue, where they arrested Samudio, Lichten said.

Samudio was booked on suspicion of robbery and grand theft auto at the Santa Clarita sheriff’s station, Lichten said.

The second man was still at large Thursday night, Lichten said.

Deputies said there have been few carjackings in the city.

“We are the fourth-safest city in America, you know,” Lichten said. “All crime is unusual here.”