Wanted Hemet felon arrested after dangerous pursuit, crash
HEMET — A convicted felon and probationer with warrants for statutory rape and other charges was arrested after a dangerous vehicle pursuit early Wednesday evening, Dec. 12. The thirty minute chase that covered nearly 20 miles wound its way through the cities of Hemet and San Jacinto, as well as several unincorporated areas, including Winchester and Homeland, according to Hemet PD.
Multiple law enforcement agencies and a sheriff’s helicopter assisted during the pursuit, which ended when the driver crashed into a light pole at the intersection of SR-74 and Leon Rd. in Homeland. The driver was located and apprehended while hiding in a backyard shed after attempting to flee on foot after the wreck.
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Wednesday’s wild pursuit began about 5:25 pm, when a City of Hemet police officer spotted a grey Lexus being driven eastbound on Mayberry Ave. in Hemet. “A DMV records check revealed the Lexus had been reported as stolen,” Hemet Police Lt. Nate Miller said after the incident and arrest.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver, later identified as Cody Scott Orcutt, 20, of Hemet, refused to yield to officers’ lights and sirens and sped away from the officials.
“Hemet PD officers pursued the vehicle through City & County areas of Hemet, the City of San Jacinto, and then out toward Homeland and Winchester,” said Miller.
During the chase, Orcutt fled without regard for the safety of other citizens or pursuing officers, reportedly reaching speeds in excess of 90 mph through city and residential streets, running countless red lights and stop signs, and driving on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic.
Because of Orcutt’s erratic and dangerous driving actions, officers requested additional resources from San Jacinto and Perris PDs, CHP, and Riverside County Sheriff’s patrol officers and deputies. Officers also requested spike strips as well as help from the Sheriff’s Aviation Unit, which responded in one of the department’s “Star-9” helicopters.
About two minutes into the pursuit, two people bailed from the stolen sedan in the area of Mayberry St., and both were quickly apprehended. It was not immediately known what, if any, charges they could be facing.
Star-9 arrived in the area about ten minutes into the pursuit, and despite technical difficulties with both their computerized mapping and FLIR systems, monitored the pursuit from overhead while relaying critical information and updates to pursuing ground deputies.
Just minutes before the pursuit came to a crashing end, Star-9’s aviation crew initiated a breakaway procedure; allowing pursuing officers on the ground to fall back to a safe distance and speed and allow the helicopter to continue following the fleeing vehicle from above.
Despite no longer being actively chased by ground officers, Orcutt continued fleeing at a high rate of speed and eventually crashed over a curb and into a light standard at the intersection of SR-74 and Leon Road in Homeland. He then bailed from the car, quickly jumping over the fence of a nearby residence.
Officers Less than three minutes later, officers found Orcutt hiding in a shed behind a home at the corner of
Queen Palm Drive and Leon Rd., and took him into custody without further incident.
After his arrest, Orcutt was booked into Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of felony pursuit and evading related offenses, possession of a stolen vehicle, resisting arrest, and violation of probation. He was also booked on warrant related charges, including vehicle theft, statutory rape, furnishing marijuana to a minor, and dangerous weapons violations.
Jail records indicate Orcutt remains in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail and was scheduled to be arraigned at an unspecified court this morning.
Superior Court records indicate Orcutt has prior convictions for vehicle theft, statutory rape, and furnishing marijuana to a minor. At least two warrants were issued for his arrest last month after he failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance related to those earlier convictions.
No citizens or officials were injured during the pursuit and subsequent apprehension, and the heavily-damaged stolen vehicle was later towed from the scene.
Hemet PD’s investigation is ongoing and officials have asked that anyone with information regarding the incident contact Hemet PD at (951) 765-2400. Callers can refer to incident file number 18-11941 and can remain anonymous.
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Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of 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 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.
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 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.