Rideshare Driver Escapes Carjacking Attempt In Palo Alto: Police

PALO ALTO, CA — Investigators in Palo Alto are searching for three men accused of attempting to carjack a rideshare driver on his way to pick up a fare.

The driver, a man in his 20s, called 911 to report the incident shortly before 1 a.m. and met with officers on University Avenue.

Police said the victim was driving a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander near the 800 block of Forest Avenue when a minivan pulled in front of him and stopped. The victim told police the driver and two passengers left the van and approached his vehicle.

The victim locked his door as one man yelled at him to exit the vehicle, and another man pulled out a metal rod and began to hit his door and window. The man said he drove around the car and sped away from the men, who gave chase. The man said the van eventually pulled off, allowing him to get to safety and call for help.

Investigators said the driver was unfamiliar with the area and was not sure exactly where the incident began, but officers believe it started somewhere in the Crescent Park area and continued toward downtown Palo Alto.

According to police, the victim said he had no interactions with the men in the van before the encounter, leading police to believe they intended to rob him or carjack the vehicle. The man gave police a general description of the three men and said they were driving an older white minivan, possibly a Toyota Sienna or Kia Sedona.

"The victim said the suspect who was pulling on his door handle was a Black male, and the suspect who wielded the metal rod was an unknown race bald male wearing a light-colored shirt," police said. "The third suspect was an unknown race male."

Anything with information about the incident, or who saw the crime in progress, can contact dispatch at 650-329-2413.