Arkansas Man Convicted of Davis Carjacking; Will Spend 12 Years in Prison

An Arkansas man was convicted of a carjacking that took place in Davis last October, Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig announced Thursday. 

James Hammons, 34, of Rodgers, Arkansas and Sara Erbe, 39, of Fayetteville, Arkansas were convicted of multiple counts stemming from the crime.

According to the DA's office: 

Hammons pled no contest to six felonies including carjacking, felony evading a police officer, vehicle theft, receipt of stolen property, possession of marijuana for sale, and possession of personal identifying information of ten or more persons. Hammons agreed to serve twelve years and four months in state prison. Erbe pled no contest to three felonies including, vehicle theft, possession of marijuana for sale, and possession of personal identifying information of ten or more persons. As part of the plea agreement, Erbe will serve two years and eight months in County prison. 

On October 8, 2012 Officer Trevor Edens of the Davis Police Department noticed a suspiciously painted car at the Motel 6. He checked the license plate and determined that the car was stolen. Defendant Hammons came out of the motel room and fled when the officer asked to talk to him. Hammons ran to the nearby Taco Bell drive-thru and tried to get into a car with a family, but the father who was driving was able to stop him. Hammons then went to a car in the front of the line and told the woman that he had a gun. The woman exited her car and Hammons took off. Officer Edens sped after him in his patrol car. After a high speed chase, Hammons drove to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife area, crashed through the metal gate and continued down the levee roads. He eventually drove off the road into a marsh. 

Hammons left the car and ran to a cornfield. The CHP provided air support and through the use of thermal imaging were able to locate Hammons. Hammons did not respond to multiple warnings to surrender from law enforcement personnel on the ground and the CHP helicopter. Eventually the Davis Police K9 caught Hammons. Hammons was found with a driver’s license and other identifying information stolen from a 19 year old man in Oklahoma.

Later, while at Motel 6, officers observed Sara Erbe leave Hammons’ motel room. In the room, officers discovered personal identification information, including driver’s licenses, social security cards, checking account documents, credit cards, health insurance documents of over 60 different people from across the United States including Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Oregon, and California. Officers also found stolen license plates, various items of stolen property, methamphetamine, over two pounds of marijuana and other items consistent with the sales of narcotics. 

District Attorney Jeff Reisig praised the work of law enforcement. “Without the great police work by Davis Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, the CHP and other agencies, these two offenders would have continued unchecked in their cross-county crime spree,” said Reisig. 

Both Erbe and Hammons have outstanding arrest warrants and face additional charges in Arkansas. 

The Honorable Timothy Fall will sentence both Hammons and Erbe on April 11, 2013 in Department Two of the Yolo County Superior Court. 

For more information, please contact Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven via email at jonathan.raven@yolocounty.org.