73-Year-Old Woman Carjacked in South Pasadena; 2 Suspects Jailed After Slow-Speed Pursuit

Police arrested two men following a brief, slow-speed pursuit after they carjacked a 73-year-old woman at knifepoint in South Pasadena early Thursday, authorities said.

The crime unfolded about 1:10 a.m. as the victim, an Alhambra woman, was sitting in her parked car in the 1900 block of Huntington Drive, using her cell phone, South Pasadena police officials said in a written statement.

Two men approached, police said. One of them opened the unlocked driver-side door of the vehicle, brandished a knife and forced the victim out of her vehicle, police said. Simultaneously, a second carjacker got into the victim’s car from the passenger side before it sped off, heading south.

“The female victim was uninjured, but lost her telephone and purse, which were inside her car, according to the police statement. “The female returned to her home a short time later, where she notified the police.”

Officers spotted the freshly stolen car about 4:30 a.m. in the 600 block of Fair Oaks Avenue, officials said.

The driver led police on a slow-speed pursuit for just over 2 miles before surrendering in the 1300 block of Garfield Avenue in San Marino, authorities said.

Driver Wilson Celaya, 20, of Los Angeles and passenger Emmanuel Navarro Jr., 22, of Fontana were booked on suspicion of carjacking, according to police and Los Angeles County booking records.

“During a search of the vehicle, several items of evidentiary value were located,” the police statement added.

Bail for both suspects was set at $100,000 pending their initial court appearances, scheduled Monday in the Alhambra branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Anyone with information was urged to contact the South Pasadena Police Department at (626) 403-7270. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.