Thread: Perata's Dodge found near Hilltop Mall 9 hours after carjack

(12-30) 08:32 PST RICHMOND -- Richmond police have found the vehicle that was carjacked at gunpoint from state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata in North Oakland, authorities said Sunday.

The red 2006 Dodge Charger was found near the corner of Wiswall and Colette drives near Hilltop Mall in Richmond at about 11 p.m. Saturday, nine hours after the carjacking, police said. The car will be processed for evidence.

Told about the recovery of the car, Perata, 62, said Sunday that he was heartened that no one was hurt. "The car is immaterial to me," said the Oakland Democrat, whose home was guarded overnight by the California Highway Patrol and police.

He joked, "At least it was found in my district."

Perata was unharmed after he was accosted by a gunman at 51st Street and Shattuck Avenue in North Oakland about 1:45 p.m. Saturday.

Perata said he was waiting for the traffic light to change when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a man walking up to him. The senator, who has campaigned against assault weapons and crime, said he mistook the man for a panhandler or window washer at first.

But then the man began pulling a mask over his nose and pointed an automatic handgun at him "gangster style" - holding it sideways - before tapping it on his window and bellowing at him, "Get out of the mother- car."

Perata said he told the man, "I'm outta here," and jumped out of the car, which police say might have been targeted for its 22-inch rims. The man got inside and took off in the car, which also had Perata's cell phone in it.

The carjacker was followed by an accomplice in a gold 2000 Chevrolet Camaro that was stolen in San Leandro on Friday in an incident in which shots were fired, authorities said.

Oakland police Lt. Lawrence Green said police do not believe the assailants recognized Perata on Saturday. The senator told officers that he believed he saw the men at a Union 76 gas station minutes earlier on Broadway Terrace, so it is possible that they followed him to 51st and Shattuck before carjacking him, Green said.

Perata said he was preparing to get on the freeway when he was carjacked and his was the third car waiting at the red light. The gunman was no more than 3 feet away, and at one point, Perata said, he feared that if the assailant panicked and fired a round while fumbling to get his mask over his face, "that would have been the end of me."

Perata, who legally carried a concealed weapon for years because of threats against his life, said there was no firearm in his car when he was carjacked.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... .DTL&tsp=1

I grew up in that area back in the 60's. Boy, things sure have CHANGED...

Had heard about this. Perata is the one who called some people upset about illegal immigration in San Diego 'crackers.'

Now whenever I hear his name I think of that.

Never been to Oakland but from what I hear it ain't pretty.

Yes Perata is the one who called those of us that are opposed to illegal immigration "crackers." I live in So. Cal but heard he is a maniac, throwing fits in office etc. He is an arrogant bast---. The idiots who keep electing him should think twice. Fortunately for him he was not harmed.

Originally Posted by jean

Had heard about this. Perata is the one who called some people upset about illegal immigration in San Diego 'crackers.'

Now whenever I hear his name I think of that.

Never been to Oakland but from what I hear it ain't pretty.

You've got that right! I'm glad no one was hurt, but I wonder if Mr. Perata will bother to relate to the fact that his constituents deal with crimes like this all the time.

OAKLAND
Sen. Perata unharmed in carjacking
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Sunday, December 30, 2007

(12-30) 04:00 PST Oakland -- State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata was carjacked at gunpoint from his state car in North Oakland Saturday.

Perata, 62, of Oakland was unharmed in the incident, which happened at about 1:45 p.m. as he was stopped in his state-leased red 2006 Dodge Charger at a red light at 51st Street and Shattuck Avenue.

"It's nothing that I want anybody else to go through," Perata said Saturday. "It just happened so fast. It certainly ruins your day."

Perata said he was waiting for the light to change when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a man walking up to him. The senator, who has campaigned against assault weapons and crime, said he mistook the man for a panhandler at first.

But then the man began pulling a mask over his nose and pointed an automatic handgun at him "gangster style" - holding it sideways - before tapping it on his window and bellowing at him, "Get out of the m- car."

"And after that, I just lost interest in his face and I just stared at the gun," Perata said.

Perata jumped out of the car, which police say may have been targeted for its 22-inch rims. The man got inside and took off. He was followed by an apparent accomplice in a gold 2000 Chevrolet Camaro that had been stolen earlier Saturday, police said.

The two cars got onto Interstate 980, and witnesses said they saw the cars exit on Park Boulevard from eastbound Interstate 580, said Oakland police Lt. Lawrence Green.

Green said police believe at least two men were in the Camaro when it pulled up alongside Perata. The senator told officers that he believed he saw the men at a Union 76 gas station minutes earlier on Broadway Terrace, so it was possible that they followed him to 51st and Shattuck before carjacking him, Green said.

Also taken was Perata's cell phone.

Perata said he was preparing to get onto the freeway when he was carjacked. The gunman was no more than 3 feet away, and at one point, Perata said, he feared that if the assailant panicked and fired a round, "that would have been the end of me."

The gunman was described as a black man in his late 20s, 5-feet-8, with a thin, muscular build, last seen wearing a black mask and dark clothing. Perata's vehicle has a state-exempt plate, 1166961, and the stolen Camaro's license plate is 5UBN288.

"Sometimes the holidays bring out desperate times for people, and he did the safe thing and just gave up the car," said Perata spokeswoman Alicia Trost. "It's just unfortunate, but we're very happy that he's uninjured."

Perata said he was grateful for the assistance of Oakland police officers, including Sgts. Todd Mork and Randy Bandino.

Perata, who has campaigned against crime in Oakland and the East Bay, joked that he started the day at age 62 but now felt somewhere between 70 and 75.

"I've been around this stuff for a while, but this is the first time I've ever had a gun pointed at me," said Perata, an Oakland Democrat who sponsored the assault weapons ban signed into law in 1999.

Fences make good neighbors.