Attempted carjacking in Antioch leads to arrest

An Ingleside man was arrested after an attempted carjacking in Antioch, police announced Friday.

Vincent P. Varela, 32, of the 35000 block of Benjamin Avenue, is charged with felony attempted vehicular hijacking and misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

The confrontation occurred about 8 p.m. Thursday on the 300 block of West Route 173. A 29-year-old man told Antioch police he was driving on Route 173 and stopped when a man walked into the roadway.

Once the car stopped, Varela opened the driver's door, told the driver to get out and hit him in the face when he refused, police said in a news release.

Varela tried to pull the driver from the car but was unsuccessful, and the victim drove off and called 911, police said.

Officers found Varela in the parking lot of a nearby hotel. He was arrested after a brief struggle, police said.

The driver suffered minor injuries, police said.