HEMET: Wanted felon held without bail after fleeing from, fighting with officers

HEMET — A wanted felon will surely think twice about running from future traffic stops in the San Jacinto Valley after officials from two area law enforcement agencies took him down like a blue and green tidal wave.

Several area residents who witnessed the foot pursuit and apprehension later described seeing the “bloody and violent fight” followed by the dazed and bloodied suspect being transported by ambulance to an area hospital. He was later charged with several felonies and remains in custody, held without bail.

The incident began on Valley View Drive north of W. Latham Avenue and ended a short distance away.

After being medically cleared for injuries he received while fighting with officials during his apprehension, 32-year-old, Adam Wayne Snell, was booked into Murrieta’s Cois Byrd Detention Center on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest with violence and violation of state parole.

The incident began just after 5 p.m., when a City of Hemet police officer initiated a traffic stop on a dark-colored Lincoln Navigator. Radio traffic at the time indicated there were two occupants inside the SUV at the time of the stop.

It was not immediately known if patrol officers or special teams members initiated the stop; however, patrol officers, Gang Task Force members and R.O.C.S. officers responded to the officer’s call for help. Riverside County sheriff’s deputies from both San Jacinto and Hemet also responded to the urgent call for assistance. Hemet PD Gang Impact Team officers handled the arrest and investigation.

Moments after officers initiated the traffic stop, officials updated that one of the occupants, later identified as Snell, jumped from the SUV and took off on foot. As Snell ran southwest from the stop, officers updated they were in foot pursuit. Officials from throughout the city responded to the officer’s call for assistance.

While officers were still responding to the scene, pursuing lawmen updated they had caught up with Snell, but the man was violently resisting their efforts to take him into custody.

For the next several minutes more than a dozen officials flooded into the area with lights flashing and sirens blaring and officials soon updated that Snell was in custody. Officers requested medical personnel to the scene to evaluate various injuries Snell received while fighting with officers.

After apprehending Snell, officers learned the man had an out-of-county felony warrant for his arrest.

Snell’s face, head and shirt were covered in blood and he had visible injuries to the left side of face and head. Officials were eventually forced to place a mesh “spit shield” over Snell’s head to keep him from spitting on officers or rescuers. AMR medics transported him to Hemet Valley Hospital to be evaluated and he subsequently received a medical clearance required for booking.

The other suspect, 29-year-old, Cesar Salvador Martinez, remained at the scene inside the SUV was detained without incident. Officers later determined he had several warrants and he was eventually booked into Murrieta’s Cois Byrd Detention Center on suspicion of petty theft with priors, possession of controlled substance and multiple counts of driving with a suspended license and other vehicle code violations. He was also booked on multiple counts of failure to appear. He remains in custody, held on $100,000 bail.

Both men are scheduled to be arraigned at Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, Apr. 20.

After the incident Nellie Penhurst, who said she nearly hit Snell as he was fleeing from officers, later described the surprise and shock she felt at nearly hitting the fleeing man and seeing the incident unfold in front of her.

“All I know is that with crooks like that willing to run and fight with the cops, it made me feel a lot better seeing so many officers rushing to help,” said Penhurst. “It seemed like they came from everywhere.”

Officials have not yet released any information regarding this incident or arrest. Other than Snell, there were no reported injuries related to the incident.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.

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Timothy Franzese/Public Safety Incidents video

Eddie George/Hemet Eye News video

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 46, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and 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.