San Jose police on Wednesday arrested a Sunnyvale parolee after they say he robbed a credit union and then carjacked a 19-year-old woman who had just returned from a Bible class.
In a statement, Sgt. Jason Dwyer said police arrested Ricardo Daniel Sandoval, 28, on charges of bank robbery, carjacking and kidnapping after a heroic ending: Police chased him from the Meriwest Credit Union in the 5600 block of Cottle Road, and eventually put him in handcuffs after a "high risk car stop."
Dwyer said that about noon, Sandoval demanded cash at the credit union, threatening the teller with a gun. In doing so, police said he tripped off a silent alarm, and ran away to a nearby neighborhood.
There, he hopped into the car of a 19-year-old woman who had just left Bible school, police said. Fearing for her safety, the woman drove off. Robbery detectives learned that Sandoval was near Winfield Boulevard and Chynoweth, and found the pair, police said.
Detectives rescued the woman, and took Sandoval into custody. Dwyer said Sandoval was on parole for robbery and for absconding that parole.
Anyone who has information about this case should call Detective Isidro Bagon in the robbery unit at 408-277-4166.
