Fresno police: Carjacker + armed prison guard + brave Samaritan = a hero’s tale

A Fresno man ran down and detained an alleged carjacker Friday after the suspect tried to take another man’s car by force, police said.

It was a bad day all around for the alleged bandit: He not only targeted an off-duty correctional officer armed with a concealed weapon, he did it in front of a good Samaritan not afraid to jump into the fray.

It’s a little complicated.

Things started about noon, as the correctional officer had lunch at a Jack In The Box restaurant at First and Tulare streets. Police Lt. Joe Gomez said the officer noticed a man giving him the eye. He stepped outside a few minutes later and walked toward his newer model SUV. He could see the man from the diner reflected in the vehicle’s glass. He was coming. Fast.

The suspect started swinging and the fight was on. The officer broke away, grabbed his handgun and ordered the suspect to the ground. The officer then called 911.

Gomez said when the suspect, identified as Adrian Cerkueira, 20, heard the approaching sirens, he jumped to his feet and got the officer’s car keys — which may have been dropped during the struggle — then jumped into the SUV and started to drive. The officer held onto the car for a few moments before Cerkueira escaped.

Round one to Cerkueira, although Gomez said the officer showed “great restraint” in not shooting him. Cerkueira apparently picked his victim at random and did not realize he was an armed correctional officer.

Round two began with Arnulfo Martinez, who works in a tire shop and happened to be in the parking lot.

“He was dragging him (the officer), and when I see that, I said, ‘I gotta get him,’’’ Martinez said. He jumped in his car and took off in pursuit. At one point, as the cars wound through southeast Fresno, Martinez said he pulled up to the bandit and shouted, “What are you doing?”

A few minutes later, Martinez cut in front of the SUV and forced it to the curb in a maneuver that would make a graduate of the California Highway Patrol driving school proud.

A half-dozen police cars arrived moments later at the final stop near Balch Avenue and Fourth Street.

Cerkueira was booked into Fresno County Jail on carjacking and robbery charges.

After being interviewed by officers, Martinez leaned against a tree, holding an unlit cigarette. What did he think of all the excitement?

“It was all right,” he shrugged.

This story was originally published July 10, 2015 at 2:53 PM with the headline "Fresno police: Carjacker + armed prison guard + brave Samaritan = a hero’s tale."