HEMET: Domestic violence warrant sweep nets 11 suspects

HEMET — Eleven people were arrested, including one who led officers on a vehicle pursuit, during a domestic violence warrant sweep, Thursday, Oct. 19. The sweep was part of the 15th annual National Family Violence Apprehension Detail, a nationwide sweep involving law enforcement agencies across the country.

“The goal of the sweep is to serve outstanding family violence warrants and to demonstrate to offenders that they will be held accountable for their violence,” Hemet Police Lt. Eric Dickson explained after the successful sweep.

The Hemet police officers assigned to the detail are funded as a result of Measure U, approved by voters last year, according Dickson. The funding allows the department to participate in the “extremely valuable sweep” without using resources from the Department’s patrol bureau.

“This year, the Hemet Police Department teamed up with the Riverside County Probation Department to attempt to serve outstanding domestic violence arrest warrants,” Dickson explained. “By the end of the day, the teams were able to locate and arrest eleven of their targets – one of them following a short vehicle pursuit that wound through portions of southwest Hemet.”

Speaking about the sweep, Hemet Police Deputy Chief Rob Webb said, “Domestic violence is unacceptable and the Hemet Police Department will continue to support the victims and also work diligently to make sure those responsible are held accountable.”

Officials did not specify how many suspects they had targeted at the beginning of the sweep and did not list the names of those arrested; however, an online jail records search revealed some of those arrested included 25-year-old, Rudy Mejia; 28-year-old, Andre DyShawn Childress; 24-year-old, Daniel Anthony Gamez; 28-year-old, Cory J, Smith; 25-year-old, Aaron John Garcia; and 25-year-old, Jose Efrain Perez.

Also arrested was 37-year-old, Quintell Dominicus Harden, the subject who led officers on the vehicle pursuit, which ended on Morro Hill Road, just south of Wal-Mart.

All those listed were booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta. As of this report, all but Harden had been released from custody. Harden remains in custody, held on $50,000 bail.

No information was available regarding the other four subjects arrested during the sweep.

Anyone needing assistance with domestic violence is encouraged to call Alternatives for Domestic Violence at 1-800-339-SAFE (7233).

 

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.