Two Men Force Their Way Into SUV, Stab Driver In Costa Mesa

COSTA MESA (CBSLA) – Police are searching for two men who forced their way into a 57-year-old woman's SUV and then stabbed and robbed her in Costa Mesa early Tuesday morning.

At around 4 a.m., the victim was driving a Toyota SUV down College Avenue, between Baker Street and Gisler Avenue, on her way to work at a local home improvement when two men standing in the street stopped her SUV, according to Costa Mesa police.

The suspects then forced their way into the SUV and made her drive them to the Gisler Park area, she told police. They then stabbed her several times and robbed her before running away, police said.

The woman drove herself to a nearby hospital where she received treatment for non-life-threatening stab wounds, police said. She was in stable condition as of Tuesday night.

Bernadette Chavis said she found a cellphone belonging to the victim here in the middle of Gisler Avenue

"We looked and there were four missed calls and then there was a message from someone that said, 'Hey crazy lady, where are you? And actually on the phone we could send
a message so I said, 'Please call me I found this phone,'" Chavis said. "She called and said we were trying to find whoever this lady was.

Police said the men, who were only described as wearing dark hoodies and jeans, stole her belongings and stabbed her.

A source said the woman suffered a traumatic injury to the chest. Authorities are investigating whether she was sexually assaulted.

Detectives were at a house on College Avenue where the owner said he has video from cameras mounted on his home that he gave to police.

Anyone with information on the suspects' identity, or who may have surveillance video of the attack, are asked to contact detectives at 714-754-5198.