MENDOCINO Co., 8/29/18 — The main suspect in a carjacking and theft turned himself in Tuesday, after first leading law enforcement on a high speed chase, and successfully eluding them on Monday, according to a press release issued by the Mendocino County Sheriffs Office.
On Monday afternoon, John Bellotti Jr., 37 of Cloverdale, allegedly carjacked an acquaintance of his. The victim was in Redwood Valley, driving a rented Mercedes Benz and carrying a large amount of cash, to buy a cannabis shake for his legal oil extraction business. The alleged carjacking occurred in front of Eagle Peak Middle School. Bellotti was apparently identified from social media, and a search commenced.
The car was spotted some time later north of Willits, and a pursuit ensued, during which Bellotti allegedly eluded deputies and Fish and Wildlife officers, somewhere south of the junction with the 162.
The car was later found on Dos Rios Rd. and a Nixle alert was sent out to residents in the area, warning of an armed and potentially dangerous suspect.
And it seemed that he was gone — until the next morning when Bellotti strolled into the Ukiah Sheriff’s office and turned himself in, apparently without incident. He was booked on charges of carjacking, robbery, and evading a peace officer, and held in lieu of $75,000 in bail.
For the full press release see below:
DATE: “August 29, 2018”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Incident Number:
2018-25312Crime/Incident:
215(a) PC (Carjacking)211 PC (Robbery)
2800.2(a) CVC (Evading Peace Officer/Reckless Driving)
Location:
Intersection of Ellen Lynn Road and West Road in Redwood Valley, CADate of Incident:
08-27-2018Time:
4:00 PMVictim(s):
Jarvais Primus (33 year-old from Atlanta, GA)Suspect(s):
John Bellotti Jr. (37 year-old male from Cloverdale, CA)Written By:
Sgt. Mike Dygert #1168Synopsis:
On 08-27-2018 at approximately 4:00 PM Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a carjacking in the 8600 block of West Road in Redwood Valley, California.This specific location was in front of the Eagle Peak Middle School.
Upon arrival the Deputies contacted Jarvais Primus and learned an unknown male adult had ambushed him at the intersection of Ellen Lynn Road and West Road.
During the ambush, the unknown male adult pointed a pistol at Primus and stole his rental vehicle which contained a large amount of U.S. currency. Primus last saw the unknown male adult fleeing the area in the stolen rental vehicle while heading south on West Road.
Deputies learned the ambush occurred while Primus was attempting to purchase shake marijuana for the purpose of processing it into marijuana oil. Primus reportedly had a business which legally sold Vape pens and marijuana oil in California and Georgia.
Upon further questioning Deputies suspected a mutual friend of Primus might have been involved in the ambush. During this questioning and research of social media, Deputies were able to identify the unknown male adult as being John Bellotti Jr., who was the husband of the mutual friend.
Further investigations suggested Primus and Bellotti Jr. knew each other from prior contacts.
While Deputies were interviewing Primus, his stolen rental vehicle was spotted traveling northbound on Highway 101 in Redwood Valley by a Fish & Wildlife Officer.
Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Fish & Wildlife Officer became involved in a pursuit of the stolen rental vehicle north on Highway 101 going past Willits. Law Enforcement personnel eventually lost sight of the stolen rental vehicle south of the Highway 101 and Highway 162 intersection. The stolen rental vehicle was later located abandoned on Dos Rios Road.
On 08-28-2018 at approximately 10:00 AM Bellotti arrived at the Sheriff’s Office Ukiah station without notice and surrendered himself.
Bellotti was subsequently arrested and booked into the Mendocino County Jail for the listed violations and was to be held in lieu of $75,000.00 bail.
Approved by:
Captain Gregory L. Van Patten #1184
