Tinder date gone wrong: Man robbed at gunpoint, suspects arrested after high-speed car chase
PHOENIX, ARIZONA: A couple was arrested for robbing a man, whom the woman met on a date via Tinder. Crystal Hulsey, 33, and Jose Sandoval Jaquez, 32, took off with the victim's car and $3,000. The duo is now charged with assault, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, and two counts of vehicle theft.
Narrating the details, the victim told police he agreed to meet Hulsey, who introduced herself as Sonya on the app, at the Embassy Suites hotel near Camelback Road and 26th Street in Phoenix around 10 am on September 17. After he reached the destination, he was directed to the woman's room. He went to her room and was greeted by another man, Jaquez, who pointed a gun at him and demanded his cellphone, ID and social media and bank information. The two suspects then made him drive them to a nearby Chase Bank and give them $900. After leaving the bank, they both escaped in the man’s red Scion and withdrew an additional $2,100 from his bank account using online apps. The man then called the police, reports AZ Family.
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The suspects were identified five days later after authorities said the couple used their real names for the hotel and when they withdrew money from the victim’s account, as per NY Post. The victim provided bank statements that showed Zelle and Cash App withdrawals from his account having partial usernames. Investigators discovered the usernames matched accounts belonging to the suspects, reports Fox 10. The outlet further states, Hulsey and Jaquez took the car to California and Las Vegas, where officers tried to pull them over. However, they escaped and left the car behind while took a ride back to Phoenix. Following this, an advertisement for an escort was found online with Hulsey's contact number.
Phoenix Police officers investigated about the ad and set up a location to meet the suspect woman. While waiting for her, they identified Jaquez in a Nissan Rogue at a La Quinta Inn near Interstate 17 and Thomas Road. He was driving the SUV. As the police tried to arrest the suspects, they again fled the scene and were spotted driving on the wrong side of the road. Then they traveled westbound on the eastbound lanes of Jefferson Road, approaching 27th Avenue. "The Nissan Rogue passengers stopped in front of a vehicle and made an oncoming vehicle stop. The passengers exited the vehicle and assaulted the driver of the other vehicle and pulled the driver out of the car. The two suspects got into the vehicle and drove away," said the police.
The couple then drove towards Payson and Happy Jack, where the suspects drove on the wrong side of the highway and collided with another vehicle. At that time, a "Department of Public Safety helicopter landed and took the suspects into custody in Happy Jack." Police found the car on Sunday, October 2, according to court documents. "Jose stated he knew this would come back to get him," said the police.