Suspect in carjacking spree pleads not guilty

A 21-year-old woman accused in a carjacking spree that spanned Costa Mesa, Irvine and Tustin pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Orange County Superior Court.

Jocelyn Cano, a Santa Ana resident, faces six felonies: three counts of carjacking and one count each of attempted carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, and criminal threats.

Tustin police detectives arrested Cano on March 12.

Three days earlier, a woman allegedly tried to carjack a driver in a Irvine parking lot before moving on to another car she successfully stole from its driver by brandishing a knife.

According to police, the woman then ditched that car on the 73 Freeway in Costa Mesa where she carjacked another driver.

The spree ended in Tustin when a woman threw a female driver to the ground but was for some reason unable to drive off in the car and fled on foot.

Tustin police said they used forensic evidence to link Cano to the crimes.

Cano is being held in Orange County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to Sheriff’s Department records.

She is currently on parole for felony burglary, according to court records.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck