ONTARIO : Carjacking Victim Is Later Arrested

A 41-year-old Colorado woman shot in the chest during an attempted carjacking in the drive-through lane of a fast-food restaurant in Ontario was herself arrested by police Thursday after drugs and weapons were found in her truck, authorities said.

Ontario Police Detective Mike Macias identified the victim-turned-suspect as Josephine L. Coulter, 41, of Colorado Springs. She underwent surgery at Loma Linda University Medical Center and was then arrested by Ontario police and transferred to San Bernardino County Hospital, where she was in stable condition.

The carjacking itself was thwarted after the assailant was held at bay by the woman’s German shepherd-mix dog, Macias said.

The attempted carjacking and the possession of narcotics and weapons were apparently unrelated, he added.

The incident occurred Wednesday night when Coulter, in a drive-through line of a popular hamburger business, was approached by a man who said he admired her black pickup. He returned, asked to buy the vehicle and, when Coulter refused, displayed a small-caliber handgun, authorities said.

“The victim either did not move fast enough or refused to get out� and was shot once in the chest, Macias said. Apparently deterred by the dog, the assailant fled to a nearby car and left.

Coulter was taken to the hospital for surgery. Investigators, meanwhile, discovered a pound of methamphetamines, half a pound of marijuana, more than $10,000 in cash and two semiautomatic handguns in her vehicle, Macias said.

Police were expected to book Coulter on narcotics and weapons charges, Macias said.

The would-be carjacker, meanwhile, remains at large, and police said they were shaken by the fact that a car thief stalked his victim in a drive-through restaurant lane.

“Normal, everyday people are now wondering: Where can we go and be safe?� Macias said. “We’re experiencing carjackings on the same kind of regular basis as the rest of Southern California.

“And what we’re finding is that, with the increase in anti-theft devices--the Club and auto alarms--crooks are trying to find new ways of stealing cars, and unfortunately for us, they’re doing it while we are in the cars.�