Woman fights off carjacker before husband, bystanders hold suspect for police

STOCKTON, Calif. (KTXL) -- A mother fought back Sunday as a man tried to steal her car in Stockton while her three children were inside.

The attempted carjacking happened on El Dorado Street around 5 p.m., according to police.

Stockton Police Officer Joe Silva said Elijah Cervantes got into the back of the car then tried to get to the driver's seat by climbing over the backseat where the woman's children were.

"(The mother) decided to fight the suspect and she also did something very good, she honked the horn," Officer Silva told FOX40. "And that alerted not only her husband but a couple of good Samaritans that also came over to the vehicle and helped out the husband by holding down the suspect."

A video of the incident shows the husband and the group of bystanders tackle Cervantes, who is only in his underwear, to the ground. Silva said they pinned him there until officers arrived.

Silva told FOX40 Cervantes was taken to a local hospital before he was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on suspicion of attempted carjacking. He was also on probation for a robbery.