GOOD HOPE: Stolen vehicle pursuit ends with crash, woman’s arrest

GOOD HOPE — A woman in a stolen Cadillac who pointed a handgun at the vehicle’s owner was arrested after leading deputies on a vehicle pursuit. The chase ended when the alleged suspect crashed the stolen sedan. The Tuesday, Oct. 10, incident began in the area of Ellis Avenue and Theda Street in the unincorporated community of Good Hope.

After crashing the stolen vehicle, the suspect, who was later identified as Laura Elizabeth Cardenas, 30, of Perris, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, being a felon in possession of a firearm, committing a felony while on bail and felony evading, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Brett Seckinger explained in a written press release. After her arrest Cardenas was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.

The incident began about 4:22 p.m., when a man called 911 to report spotting a woman driving his stolen, white, 2006 Cadillac CTS. The victim told emergency dispatchers he was following the woman and his stolen car.

While deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Lake Elsinore Station were responding to the area, the victim “maintained telephone communication with a dispatcher who relayed their location to responding deputies,” Seckinger explained.

Before deputies arrived, the victim updated that Cardenas had just pointed a handgun at him while trying to evade him in his stolen Cadillac.

When deputies arrived in the area they quickly located Cardenas in the stolen sedan and attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop. “The suspect driver accelerated away and fled westbound on Ellis Avenue in an attempt to evade the deputies,” said Seckinger.

When Cardenas refused to yield, deputies initiated a pursuit of the stolen Cadillac.

During the pursuit Cardenas drove in an extremely reckless manner, without regard for the safety of other citizens or pursuing officials. As the pursuit continued, deputies observed Cardenas throw a handgun from the speeding vehicle.

Deputies located and safely recovered the tossed handgun, according to Seckinger.

At one point during the pursuit, Cardenas attempted to turn onto Palm Street; however, she lost control of the stolen sedan, was unable to negotiate the turn and collided into a chain link fence.

Cardenas sustained minor abrasions from the collision and was apprehended without further incident.

After her arrest, deputies transported Cardenas to a local hospital where she was evaluated, treated for her minor injuries and released to be booked into jail.

An online jail records search indicated Cardenas remains in custody, held on $120,000 bail. She is scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice Oct. 12.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Deputy Yarbrough of the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station at (951) 245-3300. Callers can refer to incident file number F172830043 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as 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, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries 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.