Search ongoing for man who fled from HPD, crashed, dumped stolen gun

HEMET — Authorities are continuing to search for a man who managed to elude apprehension earlier this afternoon, Wednesday, March 20. The as-yet unidentified suspect fled from officers – first in a vehicle and then on foot into a Hemet mobile home park – after crashing into another car at the intersection of W. Latham Ave. and N. Elk St. Officers later found a stolen and loaded handgun inside the sedan the man fled from officers in.

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Today’s incident began around 1:30 p.m., when a City of Hemet motor officer attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop on a dark green Buick Century in the area of W. Florida and N. Western avenues. The driver refused to yield and continued driver several blocks until he failed to negotiate a right turn from Latham onto Elk and plowed into the front of another sedan.

After crashing into the other car, the fleeing driver – described as a black male adult, wearing a black “do-rag,” with a gray sweatshirt and jeans – immediately fled on foot from his disabled car.

Although the motor officer attempted to chase down the fleeing man, the officer lost sight of him and reported that the suspect was last seen running into Devonshire Downs mobile home park.

Officers quickly converged on the area and within minutes had the entire mobile home park surrounded. While searching the vehicle the man ran from, officers discovered a loaded Smith and Wesson handgun. Officers soon learned the weapon had been reported stolen and feared the man could be armed with a second weapon.

As officers searched around the park’s nearly 175 mobile homes, a sheriff’s aviation crew arrived in the area in “Star-9.” Despite reporting limited visibility due to low cloud cover and rain, the helicopter spent the next 30 to 45 minutes circling over the park, while providing updates to officers on the ground.

Despite an intensive ground and air search, officers were unable to locate or identify the suspect.

Hemet resident Alondra Hernandez, who witnessed the crash and later posted video of Star-9 circling the area, later described on social media what she had seen.

Hernandez said that after crashing, the fleeing man ran directly toward her and her children, who were buying treats from an ice cream truck stopped on the street. He then turned and ran a different direction.

Hemet PD later impounded the car, having it towed and stored for further investigation and forensic examination. They have not yet released any information regarding their investigation, which is ongoing.

Anyone with information about this investigation, or who knows the identity and whereabouts of the person who fled from officers, is encouraged to contact Hemet PD at (951) 765-2400. Callers can remain anonymous.

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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.