Would-Be Carjacker Thwarted by Protective Mother

Rex Ganoe, 39, was arrested on Saturday after police say he tried to carjack a mother and her two young children while they were in the drive-through in Dublin.

According to Lt. Steve Brown, a citizen flagged a Dublin Police unit in the area of Village Parkway and Dublin Boulevard to report a man had just fled after a collision on the freeway.

"Additional witnesses in the area reported that Ganoe had tried to get into their vehicles," said Brown. "One citizen reported that she had been in the Wendy's drive-through when Ganoe opened her driver's side door and demanded she take him to the hospital. The woman was afraid because her two young children were also in the car. She pulled her keys out of the ignition and was able to fight off Ganoe who fled."

Brown said the Dublin officers found and detained Ganoe and during their encounter with him, got word that he had just been involved in a stolen vehicle pursuit with San Ramon police.

"Due to public safety concerns, San Ramon police officers terminated the pursuit because Ganoe was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of I-680," Brown commented. "San Ramon Police are handling the stolen vehicle and pursuit charges and CHP is handling the hit-and-run collision."

Ganoe is being held at the in Dublin.