Santa Monica Man Sentenced to 33 years for Carjacking at UCLA Campus

Jason Levi Garza, 44, was sentenced yesterday to 33 years in state prison for carjacking a man waiting for his wife outside of a University of California, Los Angeles campus building, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Maria Ghobadi said Jason Levi Garza of Santa Monica pleaded no contest on March 21 to one count of carjacking and admitted using a handgun as a deadly and dangerous weapon.

On Oct. 3, 2016, Garza pointed a gun at the victim and ordered him to drive to a second location and then forced the victim into the vehicle's trunk, the prosecutor said. According to testimony at the preliminary hearing, the defendant drove around for more than six hours before releasing the hostage in a desolated area of Castaic.

The victim was able to get help after walking for about 1 ½ hours to a freeway call box, the prosecutor added. Police tracked Garza down and he was arrested 10 days later.

The matter was investigated by the University of California Police Department.