On Tuesday, police arrested three teenagers ranging in age from 15 to 18 in connection with a strong-arm carjacking in Bethesda.
At approximately 12:54 a.m. Tuesday, 2nd District police officers arrived in the 7700 block of Woodmont Avenue to follow up on the report of a carjacking.
According to police, a 72-year-old woman reported she was assaulted and taken to the ground from behind by two unknown suspects while walking to her car. The suspects then demanded her car keys and personal items. Then they left the scene in her 2023 Honda Fit.
Officers were told to “be on the lookout for” her car which was eventually located at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Seminary Road. During a traffic stop, three suspects were taken into custody.
Police identified the 18-year-old suspect as Joseph Frank De-La-Paz of Bethesda. The 16-year-old was also charged as an adult. According to police records, the 16-year-old had an active arrest warrant for a previous carjacking in Rockville in November.
De-La-Paz and the 16-year-old were sent to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit. The 15-year-old was transported to a juvenile detention center. The 15-year-old also has been previously charged in an armed carjacking in Wheaton in November.
