Delivery driver charged with murder after stabbing woman accused of stealing van: Berkeley police
FILE IMAGE - Cells inside the Suffolk County Correctional Jail Facility in Riverhead, New York on Jan. 16, 2019. (Photo by J. Conrad Williams Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images)
BERKELEY, Calif. - A man faces murder and attempted murder charges after he tracked his stolen delivery van to a home in Berkeley, where he confronted the alleged thieves. The encounter turned deadly.
Tracking device
What we know:
Raymond Johnson of Downey, was delivering packages in Oakland on Jan. 18 when his van was stolen, police said. He reported the theft to police, though he also took matters into his own hands.
Johnson's van had a tracking device on it, which allowed him to follow his vehicle to a residence in the 1300 block of Russell Street in Berkeley. He also provided police with the van's location.
Deadly confrontation
What they're saying:
However, Johnson went to the residence himself, where he saw a man and woman unloading packages from his van. He confronted them, and a struggle ensued between the two men, according to the Berkeley Police Department.
Officers who were responding to the initial call found Johnson and the other man with stab wounds at the intersection of Russell and Acton streets.
They also found the stolen van about a block and a half away on Burnett Street, where the woman was lying wounded.
All three were taken to a local hospital, where the woman died from her injuries.
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office has filed murder and attempted murder charges against Johnson.
The Berkeley Police Department issued this reminder to the public: "We are here to intervene in any case of criminal misconduct. We urge our community to be vigilant in reporting incidents to the police and to be good witnesses while always prioritizing their safety."
The Source: Information for this story comes from the Berkeley Police Department.