Traffic stop in Hemet leads to vehicle pursuit of armed and dangerous wanted parolee
Trevor Montgomery
On Scene Reporting and Photography
Miguel Shannon / Epicenter News
HEMET – A traffic stop on Feb. 2, led to a vehicle pursuit and the arrest of a wanted “armed and dangerous” parolee.
A Hemet Police K9 officer conducted a traffic stop in the 200 block of N. Kirby St. at about 1:30 a.m., after observing the vehicle was not registered.
The officer contacted the driver, who did not have any form of picture identification with him. The driver verbally identified himself, however the officer noticed the description did not match the subject’s name during a DMV database search.
A press release from Hemet PD officials stated the officer used “investigative tools” to identify the driver as Paul Herrera, 35, of Hemet.
A records check revealed Herrera had an active no-bail parole warrant for his arrest. The records search revealed Herrera was considered “armed and dangerous,” according to the press release.
When the officer attempted to re-contact Herrera, he fled from the traffic stop at a high rate of speed. Herrera fled North on Kirby St., at which time the officer initiated a vehicle pursuit.
During the pursuit, Herrera drove on the wrong side of the roadway into oncoming traffic, in an extremely reckless and dangerous manner; without regard for the safety of pursuing officers or other citizens.
Hemet PD officers search a vehicle following a pursuit of a wanted parolee. Photo Credit: Miguel Shannon / Epicenter News
The pursuit continued until Herrera came to a dead-end in the parking lot of 800 W. Florida Ave. Officers detained Herrera without further incident. Herrera was arrested for his parole violation as well as numerous charges related to the vehicle pursuit.
Officers booked Herrera into the Southwest Detention Center for two separate counts of felony evading as well as resisting arrest and providing false information to a police officer, both misdemeanors. Herrera was being held without bail for his parole violation. He is scheduled to be arraigned at the Southwest Justice Center on Feb. 4, at 8:00 a.m.
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