In a bizarre story of carjacking, kidnapping, robbery, gunfire, and a high-speed chase, a Joshua Tree man was finally taken into custody after investigators say he robbed a good Samaritan at gunpoint. According to Sheriff’s Sergeant Matthew Yost, deputies responded to a report of a robbery at the Yucca Valley Bank of America at about 7:00 p.m. Saturday. Yost said an unidentified female victim stopped her vehicle to help Ryan Autry, 25, of Joshua Tree, stranded with his vehicle at Pipes Canyon and Old Woman Springs Road. She gave him a ride out to get cell phone service. After she drove Autry back to his vehicle, he pulled out a revolver, forced her into her maroon Subaru Outback, then drove to the Bank of America in Yucca Valley and ordered her to withdraw money from her bank account. She gave him the cash and fled, he shot at her but missed, then drove off in her car at a high rate of speed north on Old Woman Springs Road. A witness called 911, and another witness followed Autry, providing his location to dispatchers. Deputies spotted the stolen car going east on Reche Road in the Landers area and attempted to stop it. Autry fled at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour with patrol cars in pursuit for several miles on secondary and dirt roads through Landers and Joshua Tree driving off into the open desert. The pursuing units paralleled him on surrounding roads, locating the abandoned Subaru on Two Mile Road, west of Rice Road. Deputies set up a perimeter and called in the Sheriff’s helicopter to help search. After two hours the helicopter spotted Autry about 10:30 p.m., hiding under a bush about 50 yards east of searching deputies. Autry was taken into custody and positively identified as the suspect. A revolver was found when deputies searched his backpack. Ryan Autry was booked into the Morongo Basin Jail with bail set at $100,000, with an additional $60,000 added for two warrants. Investigators are asking for the public’s help. Anyone who knows additional information about the crime or the suspect is asked to call the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station at 760-366-4175.
