K-9 run down, two officer involved shootings, multiple vehicles wrecked, during burglary investigation

HEMET — Injured early this morning after being struck by a pickup truck fleeing the scene of a burglary, a police K-9 still managed to assist with apprehending one of the two suspects who tried fleeing the scene on foot.

The violent, vehicle-borne attack against the K-9 handler and his furry companion – Hemet PD’s newest K-9 handler and dog to join the department’s K-9 team – led to two separate officer involved shootings.

The incident also caused the 8-hour closure of Highway 74 – also known as Florida Avenue – over the busy holiday weekend.

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Both suspects were eventually taken into custody and are recovering in area hospitals from injuries they received during their arrests.

The K-9, “Duke,” was also hospitalized for a leg injury and has since returned home to begin recovering and is expected to make a full recovery.

The incident and investigation began about 5:23 am., when Hemet PD’s Officer Andrew Reynoso and Duke responded to a business on the 2000 block of E. Florida Avenue to investigate reports of a burglary alarm.

When the pair arrived at the business the officer spotted a newer, silver Dodge Ram 4×4 backed up to the business. At least one suspect was still inside the business, Hemet PD’s Lt. Eric Dickson later explained.

“Upon seeing the police vehicle, a suspect fled on foot in an eastern direction,” Dickson explained. Reynoso put out a priority request for assistance as he and Duke began pursuing the fleeing suspect on foot.

While the pair was chasing the fleeing man, a second suspect got into the truck and sped toward Reynoso and Duke.

As the large, four-wheel drive vehicle bore down on the officer and his K-9 partner, the officer managed to avoid being struck; however, Duke – focused on the fleeing suspect – wasn’t as lucky and was hit by the speeding truck.

After the Dodge struck Duke, an officer at the scene opened fire on the pickup. Officials have not specified if Reynoso was involved in the first or subsequent shooting, or if any of the official’s rounds struck the vehicle.

An officer immediately put out an emergency radio call for immediate assistance; reporting that shots had been fired and that Duke had been struck and injured.

Although hit by the truck, Duke continued pursuing the fleeing man, running on his three good legs until he chased the suspect down.

The urgent call for help and reports of shots fired brought every available Hemet PD officer racing to the scene, as Riverside Sheriff’s and San Jacinto PD deputies, CHP officers, and other area agencies converged on the still sleeping city from every direction.

After hitting Duke, the driver of the Dodge fled the scene and tried to evade officers as they flooded into the area.

Responding Hemet patrol officers “encountered the fleeing truck” as it neared the intersection of Yale St. and Florida Ave., according to Dickson.

As the truck attempted to flee northbound onto Yale Street, a responding officer performed a pursuit intervention maneuver – plowing into the back of the Dodge at high-speed. The impact destroyed the front-end of the patrol vehicle, completely sheering off the Ford’s front bumper and push-bar.

However, the maneuver immediately ended the suspect’s attempts to flee and sent the pickup spinning wildly in the intersection, before it was hit by at least one other patrol vehicle bringing the pursuit to an end.

The truck came to rest facing southbound, partially on the sidewalk and was left blocking the westbound number two lane of Florida Ave., at which time “another officer involved shooting occurred,” said Dickson, who continued, “The driver of the truck was injured during the shooting and taken into custody.”

Officers called for medical aid for both injured suspects, who were eventually transported to local hospitals for medical treatment.

Officials have not specified how many times the driver of the Dodge was struck by the fired rounds or the full extent of the man’s injuries; nor have they specified the nature or extent of the first suspect’s injuries.

However, both suspects are expected to survive, Dickson explained, saying, “The names of the suspects are not being released at this time.” No other injuries were reported.

Duke was rushed to a local veterinarian’s office for medical treatment for injuries to his leg and has since been released to recover at home. The 75 pound Belgian Malinois later posed for a quick photograph with his favorite toy and could be seen in the photo wearing a fluorescent pink cast on his right hind leg.

After the shooting, officials cordoned off the entire intersection as one of three crime scenes related to the initial burglary and subsequent shootings. Officers eventually closed several blocks of Florida Ave., and later issued a SigAlert for the highway – which is the main east/west corridor that travels through the San Jacinto Valley.

Area residents and travelers were directed away from the multiple scenes and onto other nearby residential streets, creating a traffic nightmare for those headed to church, holiday weekend bbq’s, and other activities.

Detectives from the department’s Investigation’s Bureau, forensic technicians, and other officials responded to the scene with a mobile command center, which was parked along Florida Ave. while officials investigated the incident.

As the investigation was getting underway, the patrol vehicle that immobilized the truck and several other patrol vehicles remained in the middle of the intersection. The wrecked patrol vehicle’s entire front bumper and push-bar, as well as other vehicle parts and debris, littered the entire intersection.

As the day-long investigation continued, forensic technicians were observed documenting, photographing, and collecting evidence at the scene.

Countless spent shell casings littered the area; and rubber gloves, medical debris, and several dozen crime scene markers soon dotted the entire area as well as the blood stained sidewalk, where the shot and injured suspect was taken into custody. Technicians eventually filled numerous bags with evidence collected from the multiple crime scenes.

Numerous bullet holes could be seen in the truck’s windshield, hood, and front-end, and technicians were seen inserting several bright red trajectory indicators into the holes of the truck, before it and the wrecked patrol vehicle were towed from the scene.

Officials have not specified how many officers fired their weapons or how many rounds were discharged between the two shootings.

Hemet PD’s investigation is active and ongoing and officials have not released any further details. Anyone with additional information about their investigation is encouraged to contact officials at (951)765-2400.

SIG ALERT…
We are working an incident in the area of Yale and Florida. The entire intersection has been closed in all directions. Please use Acacia, Columbia, Girard and Devonshire to detour around the area. It will be closed until further notice. Please avoid this area.

— Hemet PD (@HemetPolice911) May 27, 2018

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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 several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta 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. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s 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.