Kings deputies arrest suspect on numerous charges including carjacking

The driver of the Kia, according to the deputy’s report,  lost control, careened into a field, and rolled over several times.

A passerby witnessed the crash and stopped to check on the occupants of the Kia. A male subject later identified as Jorge Lua, who was the only occupant, exited the Kia with an AR-15 style rifle. Jorge pointed the rifle toward the good Samaritan who was frightened and then ran away into a nearby orchard.

According to the sheriff’s department, Lua then stole the Samaritan’s service truck and drove away.     

Kings County Detectives took over the investigation and discovered the Kia was stolen in Hanford. During the search, detectives located a receipt from a recent transaction from a store in Visalia. Upon reviewing the business's surveillance, detectives saw a subject matching the description of the suspect provided by the victim of the carjacking. 

The investigation continued for several weeks, and a Tulare County Sheriff’s Office detective recognized the subject in the surveillance video. Lua had five previous felony convictions for possession of a stolen vehicle, assault with a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm in public, burglary, and felon in possession of a firearm.

Based on the mounting evidence, Kings County detectives authored an arrest warrant for Jorge, signed by a local judge.

Detectives, on Thursday, February 24, along with members of the Kings County Major Crimes Task Force, arrested Lua in Tulare County.

Deputies booked Lua into Kings County Jail on the charges of carjacking, felon in possession of a firearm, auto theft, and possession of a stolen vehicle. His bail was set at $165,000.