‘I Was Screaming': Carjacking Victim Says He is Afraid for his Life

A suspect wielding a machete stole a man's car in Mira Mesa, San Diego police said Friday.

The victim told police he was sitting in his car on Caminito Manso after 2 a.m. when another man walked up to the car and demanded his tablet. The location is south of Mira Mesa Boulevard and east of Camino Ruiz.

The would-be robber also demanded the victim get out of his car. When the victim refused, the suspect pulled out a machete, police said.

"He kept on swinging it, towards me, closely," Ryan said.

Ryan did not want to disclose his last name or show his face on camera because he said he is afraid for his life.

"He brought out a machete off of his sheath, and told me to give him my iPad," he said.

Ryan told NBC 7, he got out of his car and tried to get away, but the man got closer.

"I kept my iPad in front of me in case. I thought that was my only defense at the time," he added.

At one point, Ryan said he tried to get back in his car, but it was too dangerous.

"I was screaming for someone to call police because I've never seen a knife that big being swung at me," he told NBC 7.

The suspect, still armed with a machete got in the car as Ryan ran to tell a neighbor to call the police.

According to police, after the suspect carjacked the car, he made a U-turn and crashed into a parked car.

"He came up off the curb, off the grass line, almost up to my neighbor’s house. As he gained control, he came back down and then made a left turn," Ryan said.

He added he is afraid the suspect may hurt someone else.

"I'm just scared that he's still around," he said.

The vehicle left the area westbound on Hillery Drive. It was later recovered less than a mile away near Ivory Coast Drive and Marauder Way, south of Mira Mesa High School and east of Camino Ruiz.

The car sustained some damage and a couple hundred dollars worth of items inside the car were stolen.

But Ryan said he's not worried about the stolen things since they can be replaced.

Police have released a limited description of the suspect, who was wearing a blue bandana over part of his face. They think he is between 18 and 25-years-old, skinny, with brown hair.

Anyone with information can call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.