Watsonville man arrested, accused of robbery and carjacking

A gang member from Watsonville is behind bars, accused of robbery and carjacking.

Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 18-year-old Phillip Martinson, of Royal Oaks, Saturday, after receiving reports that two men – one with a gun – were in the parking lot of a Castroville gas station.

Deputies found Martinson with a realistic looking BB gun. They say he robbed a customer of $360 in cash and then tried to carjack the victim’s SUV. The victim was able to fight him off and prevent the carjacking.

Following his arrest, deputies connected Martinson to an earlier carjacking in Watsonville.

Martinson is charged with robbery, car jacking, and other crimes.

He is being held at the Monterey County jail on a $500,000 bond.