May 11, 2023 - Tulare County Sheriff’s Office officials report that just before 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, a TCSO Deputy was patrolling near the area of Road 196 and Avenue 196 in Plainview, when he saw a car matching the description of a recent carjacking drive into the parking lot of Valley Fuel-Plainview Market.

The Deputy pulled into the parking lot at the same time as one armed suspect, wearing a ski mask, got out the car and ran into the store to rob it. Two other suspects started to get out of the car, but saw the Deputy and quickly got back inside.

Realizing a Deputy was there, the suspect immediately ran out of the store and got back into the car, which sped off. The Deputy chased the car for several minutes, but stopped because of the driver’s extreme actions and danger to the public.

The car was found a short time later in the area of Henderson Avenue and Westwood Street in Porterville. 18-year-old William Raya Garcia and two teen boys were also found in the area and safely taken into custody after a short foot pursuit.

Deputies searched the area and found three guns, masks, gloves, and other evidence linking the suspects to the attempted robbery in Plainview. One of the juveniles arrested was also arrested earlier this year for an armed robbery in Ducor, but was released shortly thereafter. The suspects in this case are suspected members/associates of the Norteno Criminal Street Gang, and a known subset in Terra Bella.

Detectives found additional evidence linking the suspects to the robberies while serving a warrant at their homes in Terra Bella.

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Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective A. Muller or Sergeant H. Rodriguez at the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 802-9563 or (800) 808-0488. Anonymous information about this crime can be reported via Tipnow email at tcso@tipnow.net, text or voicemail at 559-725-4194, or download the Tipnow app for Android or Apple phones.

Source: Tulare County Sheriff’s Office