Authorities have charged a Barstow man of felony carjacking and kidnapping in the theft of a street performer's car from Lot 1 North at the .
Bail was set at $1 million bail for Sean Earl Cetnarowski, according to online jail records, after police allege he hopped into the entertainer's car, thrust an unknown object into his neck and demanded he start to drive.
The owner, believing he was being held at gunpoint, escaped by jumping out of the moving car. Cetnarowski slid into the driver's seat and sped off onto the eastbound 10 Freeway, according to Santa Monica Police Sgt. Richard Lewis.
Officers pulled the vehicle over at the La Brea exit.
"A search of the vehicle did not reveal a gun," Lewis said.
The pier performer told police he had just finished working and was sitting inside his car talking to a friend on his cell phone, when Cetnarowski approached the passenger side and suddenly opened the door.
Cetnarowski, 30, was charged Tuesday with one felony count each of carjacking and kidnapping, according to online Los Angeles Superior Court records.
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