Suspected carjacker hospitalized after passing out

A Coachella man remained hospitalized on Wednesday after being taken into custody Tuesday in Nipomo after allegedly stealing a car and then passing out when he was apprehended by authorities.

The incident began at about 2:08 p.m. Tuesday when the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a man with a large wrench running in circles in the the road near West Tefft Street and North Thompson Avenue in Nipomo. A driver stopped his vehicle to avoid hitting the man, who then jumped on top of the car and smashed the windshield with a wrench, according to a news release.

When the driver got out, the suspect got in the car and began to drive away, but was stopped by other motorists who blocked his escape, the release said. When deputies arrived and began handcuffing him, the suspect passed out and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital where he remained in custody Wednesday afternoon. He was expected to stay in the hospital until at least Thursday, sheriff’s spokesman Tony Cipolla said.

The suspect was identified as Soloni Santini Lucio, 35, of Coachella. He faces potential charges including carjacking, vehicle theft and driving under the influence, Cipolla said.

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 7:57 PM with the headline "Suspected carjacker hospitalized after passing out."