RIVERSIDE: Transient arrested in stolen truck after vehicle, foot pursuit

RIVERSIDE – A Riverside area transient was arrested after leading police on a vehicle and foot pursuit Thursday, March 30. The incident began in the area of Anacapa Place and Tulsa Avenue in Riverside.

Tony Roy Richard Moya, 24, of Riverside, was booked into Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, two counts of recklessly evading police, resisting arrest and theft with priors, according to officials.

The incident began about 11:10 a.m., when a West Neighborhood Policing Center, Problem-Oriented Police officer spotted a stolen Ford F-250 parked in the neighborhood.

Due to an increase of stolen Ford trucks in the area, the officer requested assistance from other officers to conduct a surveillance of the vehicle. Police detectives responded to the area in undercover, unmarked vehicles to watch the stolen truck.

During their surveillance a detective noticed a man, who was later identified as Moya, approach the stolen truck. Officers observed Moya as he got into the vehicle and began to leave the area.

Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the stolen truck but Moya refused to yield to officials, at which time officers initiated a vehicle pursuit.

During the pursuit, Moya drove in an extremely reckless manner, without regard for the safety of other citizens or pursuing officers.

The pursuit continued through residential streets and ended in a driveway at the dead-end of Sierra Vista Avenue.

Moya abandoned the stolen vehicle, fleeing on foot through residential yards into a nearby neighborhood.

Officers quickly established a perimeter and began searching for the fleeing man; however, after an exhaustive search, he managed to temporarily elude capture. Detectives remained in the area in case Moya was spotted again.

During their investigation, officials located a broken fence that led them to the 5400 block of College Avenue.

While searching the backyard of a residence on College Avenue, a detective spotted Moya in the fetal position, hiding under a bed of bushes. As officers and detectives moved in, Moya once again fled on foot, running through several residential yards.

With the assistance of a police K9, Moya was soon located and apprehended.

Moya was taken to a local hospital for medical clearance then later booked into County Jail.

An online jail records search revealed Moya is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice April 4.

 

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Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor 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 and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.