VALLE VISTA: Teens arrested after fleeing from deputies investigating home burglary
VALLE VISTA — Two young men were arrested after they fled from deputies responding to a residential burglary, early Wednesday morning, Nov. 22. After an investigation officials linked the two alleged teenage suspects to a series of other residential burglaries throughout the Valle Vista area. Wednesday’s burglary happened at the Linda Vista Mobile Home Park at 45055 E. State Highway 74 in the unincorporated community of Valle Vista, east of Hemet.
Deputies arrested 18-year-old, Isaiah Matthew Townsend at an apartment complex on Highway 74 and 18-year-old Mikel Cody Cunning at a residence on First Street. Both alleged suspects reside in the Valle Vista area. The suspects were booked at Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on charges of first-degree residential burglary and criminal conspiracy, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Robert Duckett explained after the incident and arrests.
Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Hemet Station responded to the Linda Vista Mobile Home Park just after 1 a.m., regarding the report of a burglary in progress at the location.
When they arrived, deputies spotted two suspects running from the residence being burglarized.
After a brief foot pursuit, deputies located one the suspects hiding in the bushes, where he was taken into custody. The second suspect managed to elude deputies and “fled the area without detection,” said Duckett.
Because of a recent rash of home burglaries in the Valle Vista area over the past few months, investigators from the Hemet Sheriff’s Station responded and assumed the investigation. During their investigation, sheriff’s officials identified seven additional residences they believed the suspects had burglarized in recent months.
Investigators obtained and served two search warrants related to the investigation, at which time they took the second suspect into custody who had successfully eluded arrest after fleeing from deputies.
An online jail records search revealed both men remain in custody, held on $35,000 bail, and both are scheduled to be arraigned at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, Nov. 28.
The investigation is active and ongoing.
Anyone with information about these burglaries is encouraged to contact Investigator Medina at the Hemet Sheriff’s Station at (951) 791-3400. Callers can refer to incident file number D173260004 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.
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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.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 27 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 14 grandchildren.