A California teenager was “launched” and nearly killed in an alleged carjacking rampage that ended with him and seven others injured after the suspect crashed into a McDonald’s drive-thru line.
“It’s crazy how things can change in the blink of an eye,” Brandon Mendez, 19, told local ABC affiliate KABC about the Culver City carjacking chase that put him in the hospital.
“I see this car running red lights, and I think nothing of it,” Mendez said. “I see it, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m just going to move out the way.’ I move out the way. He swerves into me, and still hits me.”
Mendez’s interview with KABC aired Monday, just under a month after police took suspect Juan Luis Estrada, 45, of Perris, into custody for the Camry rampage. He faces charges of attempted murder, carjacking, felony evading, battery and resisting arrest.
Estrada carjacked a white Toyota Camry at knifepoint in downtown Los Angeles on June 16 before getting into a “hit-and-run collision” near Centinela Avenue and Washington Boulevard in Culver City that hurt four pedestrians, according to a police press release.
Estrada “fled the scene without stopping,” the release states.
“While officers were responding to that collision, another hit-and-run was reported in the 3800 block of Sepulveda Boulevard, where the same vehicle struck another motorist and again fled,” police allege.
As officers looked into the incidents, information came in through witness statements, the vehicle’s license plate, and Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology that helped officers locate Estrada in Culver City.
At around 7:26 p.m., officers found Estrada near Centinela Avenue and tried to stop him. Estrada allegedly refused to yield and fled eastbound on Culver Boulevard, triggering a pursuit.
“During the pursuit, officers observed the suspect drive with an extreme disregard for public safety,” police say. “The suspect traveled at high speeds, ran multiple red lights, drove into opposing lanes of traffic, and weaved recklessly around other vehicles. Officers also observed the suspect repeatedly steer toward pedestrians who were in or near the roadway.”
Police believe Estrada was “intentionally attempting to strike pedestrians” that night. At least eight people were hurt during his rampage.
“The suspect’s actions created a clear and immediate danger to community members and demonstrated a complete disregard for human life,” police say.
Recounting how he was hit, Mendez told KABC, “I was hit, and I was launched pretty far. They caught him moving at 80 mph.”
Estrada was allegedly caught on surveillance video striking multiple people with the stolen Camry, including Mendez. A GoFundMe started by Mendez’s sister says “the impact sent Brandon flying 20 feet, causing him to lose his belongings and leaving him with life-threatening injuries.”
Mendez suffered severe internal bleeding, spinal and cerebral fractures and a chipped tooth, and he had his spleen removed, KABC reports. His aorta was also torn and he now has a stent “to help him recover,” according to Mendez’s sister.
“I can’t lift more than 25 pounds right now,” Mendez told KABC.
Estrada’s evening rampage finally came to an end at a McDonald’s in the 200 block of Washington Boulevard, according to police.
“[Estrada] collided head-on with another vehicle in [the McDonald’s] drive-thru lane,” cops allege. “[Estrada] exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended by pursuing officers.”
Police say “additional charges are anticipated as detectives continue reviewing evidence, surveillance footage, and witness statements.”
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