A man accused of stealing a car at gunpoint in Pacific Beach and briefly kidnapping the car’s driver was ordered Monday to stand trial on assault, carjacking and kidnapping charges.
Skyler Battreall, 20, is accused of carjacking a man on the night of Oct. 14 after he allegedly asked the victim for a ride.
Police said that shortly after 9:05 p.m., the victim was sitting in his 2007 Hyundai sedan on Grand Avenue near Haines Street, when Battreall approached and got into the car.
The victim started to drive away when the suspect pulled out a handgun and told him to keep driving, San Diego Police Officer John Buttle said. He pulled over in the 1400 block of Grand Avenue and yelled for help before the suspect pistol-whipped him, knocking out some of the victim’s teeth, Buttle said.
The victim got out of the car and Battreall allegedly drove away before crashing into a parked car in the 4600 block of Gresham Street.
An officer in the area witnessed the crash and saw the suspect run from the car and jump over a fence into the backyard of a nearby residence, where he was later arrested, Buttle said.
Battreall, who remains held on $500,000 bail, is due back in court April 10 for a readiness conference.
— City News Service
