Woman leads HPD on chase, claims music was too loud

HEMET — A woman who unwittingly led police officers on a short pursuit was later cited and released after she claimed she had no idea that she was being chased by at least two patrol vehicles earlier today, Friday, Feb. 22.

Although the woman was being followed by marked, black and white patrol vehicles with their lights flashing and sirens blaring, the woman told officers her music was so loud she had not heard their sirens and that she had no idea officers had been trying to stop her.

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A City of Hemet police officer attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop on the woman’s black sedan around 11:40 a.m., after observing the driver commit a traffic violation while driving on Kirby St. Despite the officer activating his lights and siren, the woman continued traveling – at normal speed – on Kirby. She eventually turned eastbound onto Acacia Ave.

Another officer soon joined the “chase” as the driver continued traveling several blocks on Acacia Ave. – obeying all traffic signals and speed limits as she drove along – oblivious to the officers behind her with their lights and sirens.

The driver, who has not been publicly identified, eventually realized the patrol vehicles were behind her and pulled over east of S. Lyon Ave., near The Storage Place of Hemet.

The bewildered woman, who appeared to be dressed in work attire, obeyed all officers’ commands as they performed a high-risk, felony traffic stop. A small crowed had begun to form and another officer raced up to the scene with lights and sirens, just as the woman was handcuffed and searched, then detained in the back of a patrol vehicle.

Three officers then cautiously approached the sedan with their guns drawn before quickly determining the driver had been the sole occupant.

Later, while being questioned at the scene, the woman claimed her music had been so loud she had not realized officers were trying to stop her. She also said she pulled over immediately after she realized officers were behind her.

After conducting a DMV records and warrant check, the woman was cited and released, with a stern warning to keep her volume lowered, to pay better attention to her surroundings, and to always watch for emergency vehicles.

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Gary Rainwater photos

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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.