Suspect In Lake Forest Violent Carjacking Extradited From Florida

Lake Forest CA

17 August, 2021

5:08 PM

Description

LAKE FOREST, CA —A Florida man suspected of carjacking an elderly couple and slashing the husband's neck last year will face felony charges, the Orange County District Attorney's office reported Tuesday. The suspect, Michael John Wood, 42, of Jensen Beach, Florida, was arrested in late June and has since been extradited to Orange County for the violent incident. Wood has been charged in the Lake Forest incident with two felony counts of carjacking, two felony counts of inflicting injury on an elder adult, one felony count of second-degree robbery, and two felony enhancements for the personal use of a deadly weapon, OCDA spokesperson Kimberly Edds says. If he receives the maximum sentence, Wood will spend 14 years and 8 months in Orange County prison. He is currently being held at the Central Men's Jail on $1 million bail and is scheduled to appear in court next week. On December 20, a Lake Forest couple was unloading groceries from their car when someone in a mask attacked them, according to court records. The wife was pushed to the ground and the suspect, believed to be Woods, slashed her husband in the neck with a box cutter. Their attacker then stole the victim's car and wallet. Lake Forest Police Services responded to provide aid and search for the vehicle. The Orange County Sheriff's Department and the Orange County Crime Lab responded to conduct interviews and collect evidence at the scene. It was New Year's Eve when Orange County Sheriff's deputies found the couple's stolen car. Patrol deputies collected evidence inside the vehicle, including enough DNA from the suspect to send to the Orange County Crime Lab. Evidence of the neck-slashing was also found inside the car, along with "other items," they said. Wood was identified as a possible suspect based upon the crime lab's results. Sheriff's Investigations worked with the South Directed Enforcement Team, which located Wood in Florida. "Further investigation discovered Wood resided in Lake Forest during the time of the incident," the OCDA reports. An arrest warrant was issued for Wood based on the combined efforts of the patrol deputies, Investigations, the Orange County Crime Lab, and the South Directed Enforcement Team. With the assistance of the United States Marshall's Office, Wood was taken into custody in Florida on June 25 and recently extradited to Orange County by OCSD personnel. Wood was booked into Orange County Jail on July 20. As the case relies heavily on DNA found at the crime scene and in the vehicle, Deputy District Attorney Michael Bardeen of the Science and Technology Unit will prosecute this case. Sheriff Don Barnes spoke on the extradition and booking after six months of police work. "It was a tireless effort to track this suspect across the country and work with our local and federal partners to take a dangerous criminal off the streets," Barnes said. "The impressive work by our patrol deputies, investigators, Directed Enforcement Team, and personnel from the Orange County Crime Lab highlights our vigilance and dedication to bringing criminals to justice." Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer shared the nature of the incident and hoped to bring closure to the couple terrorized by Wood. "This was a violent crime committed on two unsuspecting elderly residents who were just unloading groceries at their home," Spitzer said. "The Orange County District Attorney's Office and the Orange County Sheriff's Department refuse to let violent criminals prey on innocent victims. Technology and teamwork combined to identify and track down this individual and bring him back to Orange County to be held accountable."