HEMET: Man arrested after ramming 2 police cars during pursuit

James Avalos was arrested after he rammed two police cars following a domestic violence incident.

HEMET – A man wanted for questioning in a domestic violence related incident rammed two police cars while driving a stolen car during a vehicle pursuit Monday, Nov. 28.

After the pursuit, James Dean Avalos, a 29-year-old Hemet resident, was arrested for felony evading, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, violation of a domestic violence restraining order, and two arrest warrants – including one for burglary and another for misdemeanor domestic violence.

The pursuit began about 10:22 p.m., when a Hemet police officer was attempting to locate Avalos after he was allegedly involved in an earlier domestic violence incident. Avalos had reportedly fled the incident in a stolen vehicle after the incident.

Officers located Avalos in the stolen vehicle in the area of N. Palm and W. Menlo Avenues. Before the officers could attempt to conduct a traffic stop, Avalos spotted them accelerated away at a high rate of speed. Officers initiated a vehicle pursuit on the stolen car.

Two Hemet Police vehicles were damaged after Avalos rammed them during a dangerous pursuit. Will Whelan photo

Despite their lights and sirens, Avalos refused to yield to pursuing officers. While he was being pursued, Avalos fled in an extremely reckless manner without concern for the safety of other citizens or pursuing officers.

During the pursuit, Avalos rammed the stolen car into two marked Hemet Police cars in an attempt to evade officers. The stolen vehicle became disabled in the area of N. Lyon and W. Latham Avenues.

No officers were injured during the pursuit or when their vehicles were rammed.

After his arrest, Avalos was booked at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility and held on $100,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned at an unspecified court Dec. 1.

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James Avalos used his stolen Honda to ram two police vehicles while fleeing. Will Whelan photo

During the pursuit, Avalos rammed two police vehicles and drove over a pole, disabling his stolen car. Will Whelan photo

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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.