NEWMAN, Calif. — A Stanislaus County man is thankful a suspected gunman did not hurt him or his family during a crime spree which took place Sept. 22 in west Stanislaus County.
The sheriff’s office says 43-year-old Jason Benson Dingler was behind the crime spree which included a break in, carjacking, a robbery, a high-speed chase and shooting at deputies.
The man was carjacked at gunpoint at 5:26 p.m. along the 5000 block of Muncy Road. ABC10 spoke with the man who does not want to be identified, but says he knew something was wrong when he saw someone walk onto his property.
Dingler falsely told the unidentified man he was military and demanded the keys to his pickup truck. When the unidentified man mentioned ‘call the cops,’ Dingler said, “If you call the cops, you are dead.”
“So, I just got him the keys and got him out here as quickly as I could,” the unidentified man said. “In real time, was probably two to three minutes (long). Felt like an hour.”
The man says it was a frightening experience because his grandmother was home at the time and feared for her safety.
“It is eye opening. Got to be a little more diligent in what you do, know what is going on. But it is a different world,” said the unidentified man.
After Dingler stole the pickup truck, he went to a convenience store and stole two cases of beer.
A California Highway Patrol officer spotted Dingler and the truck at Grayson Road and Highway 33. The 43-year-old suspect led police on an 11-mile high speed chase until he side-swiped another car and crashed into an orchard, outside of Newman. The driver of the side-swiped car had moderate injuries.
The 43-year-old suspect was eventually shot in the stomach.
It was a scary situation that unfolded over 16 hours. The victim in the ordeal offered a bit of advice for the public.
“Be very diligent in what is going on around you. If the problem arises, like what I went through, remember that vehicles and properties can be replaced. Lives count,” said the unidentified man.
No officers were injured. The sheriff’s office says Dingler is facing a long list of felony charges including attempted murder of a peace officer, burglary, carjacking and robbery.
The sheriff’s office says Dingler does have a criminal record, including convictions for rape, robbery and other violent crimes.
The unidentified man told ABC10 he has not gotten his truck back yet because the investigation is ongoing.
The full video from Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office is available HERE.
