Officers form SLTPD responded to a report of a battery and attempted car theft that happened in the Emerald Bay area, north of Lake Tahoe Blvd, on January 8th, around 5:00 PM.
The victim, an off duty South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue Firefighter, said an unknown man stepped in front of his vehicle while he was traveling on Emerald Bay Rd. The Firefighter had to slam on his breaks to avoid hitting him. The unidentified man then tried to get inside the victim’s vehicle by trying to open the passenger side door, where the victim’s child was seated and started hitting his vehicle with his fists.
The man then walked around to the driver’s side, where he and the firefighter got into a fight. The man ended up jumping into the driver’s seat, with the victim’s son still in the vehicle and tried to drive off.
The Firefighter got the man out of his vehicle and that’s when the suspect took off running. The Firefighter did snap a photo of the suspect to share it with law enforcement when they got to the scene.
The photo was shared on social media and later that night SLTPD dispatch received a call from a local business owner who said he thought the picture was of an ex-employee, Jacob Lewis.
Lewis was known to law enforcement with cases going back 11 years including battery with serious injury and drug use. Booking photos of Lewis matched the one taken by the firefighter in this case and showed a unique tattoo Lewis had on his right calf.
Officers found Lewis at his home and he denied any involvement in this case. Lewis was arrested without incident. The 27-year old was booked into the El Dorado County Jail on charges of attempted carjacking, attempted kidnapping and battery. He is currently being held on $405,000 bail.