SALEM (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) A Salem man was scheduled for arraignment on Wednesday for his alleged connection to an armed carjacking.
Johan Morales is facing charges that include carjacking, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, four counts of larceny of property over $250, larceny of a motor vehicle, and receiving stolen property over $250.
Investigators accuse Morales of pepper spraying an out-of-state tire service technician in the area of Goodhue Street in Salem on Tuesday. They allege that Morales beat the technician before stealing his vehicle.
The stolen vehicle was found in the area of 191 Federal Street a short time after the carjacking. It was missing four tires valued at $600 each.
The victim of the carjacking identified Morales as the man who assaulted him. Police claim they observed several large tires matching the stolen property in Morales' apartment.
Investigators are looking into a possible connection between the Salem incident and a nearly identical carjacking in Peabody on Sunday. In that carjacking, the suspect is described as a black man in his mid-30's with a large build, reportedly wearing jean shorts and a tank top at the time.
