HEMET – Reports of shots fired at bank lead to “Backfiring Bandit”
The subject from the Honda exits his vehicle with his hands raised. Robin Montgomery photo
HEMET – Multiple 911 reports of shots being fired in the parking lot of a Chase Bank brought several officers rushing to the scene of what some callers reported as a possible bank robbery Saturday, Oct. 1. The bank is located at 1800 E. Florida Avenue between N. Mayflower and N. Yale Streets
The incident was reported to City of Hemet dispatchers at 1:22 p.m. by several citizens who called 911 to report hearing what they believed was the sound of multiple shots being fired.
Almost simultaneously Facebook community-oriented and crime-related sites such as Epicenter News, Hemet Valley Incidents, Hemet Valley News, Public Safety Incidents, Hemet News, Valley Incidents, and Hemet San Jacinto Crime Reporting lit up with activity from citizens reporting hearing what they believed was shots fired at or near the Chase Bank parking lot.
Some callers and those who posted on social media reported hearing the shots being fired from an older green Honda with a sole male occupant driving through the bank parking lot. On social media the subject in the green Honda was described as wearing a “Rastafarian” style hat.
An officer moves in to handcuff the subject. Robin Montgomery photo
Hearing what they believed were the sounds of gunshots, some customers at bank took cover behind chair and tables, while a bank security guard locked the doors of the bank.
Hemet police officers rushed to the scene of the reported shooting. The first officer on scene arrived less than two minutes after the call was dispatched and almost immediately located the green car and driver described by callers.
The first arriving officer immediately radioed that he had the alleged shooting suspect at gunpoint. As two more officers and a sergeant arrived and converged on the alleged suspect’s vehicle, they ordered the driver out of his car at gunpoint.
The driver, described as a white male adult in his mid-twenties, fully cooperated with officers and was detained without incident. He was not identified.
An officer handcuffs the subject while other officers keep their guns aimed at the man’s vehicle. Robin Montgomery photo
After handcuffing and detaining the subject, officers checked his vehicle for weapons and found none inside the car.
During their investigation, officers learned the subject had modified the exhaust system on his car and was having problems with the exhaust continually backfiring.
Investigating officers determined the sound of the car repeatedly backfiring was the source of the reports of shots fired.
At the conclusion of their investigation, officers released the driver “with a stern warning” about the California Vehicle Code and laws pertaining to modifying a vehicle’s exhaust, according to one officer at the scene.
§27150(a) – 27151(a) of the California Penal Code states:
27150. (a) Every motor vehicle subject to registration shall at all times be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise, and no muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device.
27151. (a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of the vehicle so that the vehicle is not in compliance with the provisions of Section 27150.
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Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, Personnel and Background Investigations and he finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.
That poor guy, hope he went home immediately to change his undies. Maybe he is the one driving around at night backfiring and creating all the calls in about shots fired.
Maybe while he is changing his undies he can change his exhaust back while he is at it. LOL
-TM
Whats funny is this is ecactly what happens when the distributor on these cars fall apart causing backfires . He was probably trying to start it after the winding inside it unravelled.
Great too hear the Hemet Pd finally do a complete investigation without falssely incarcerating someone.