Indio felon arrested after stolen vehicle pursuit
LA QUINTA — An Indio convicted felon was arrested after leading deputies on a dangerous pursuit in a stolen pickup truck Tuesday evening, April 2. The man was wanted for questioning in connection to “several thefts, burglaries, and stolen vehicles,” according to sheriff’s officials.
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Last night’s incident began when deputies assigned to La Quinta PD’s Special Enforcement Team were searching for the man, 23-year-old, Luis Guierrmo Meza, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Sergeant David Smith later reported.
Shortly after 6 p.m., SET members spotted Meza driving a white Ford F-150 that had been reported stolen from the city of Palm Desert and had false license plates.
Luis Meza was arrested last night after leading deputies on a pursuit in a stolen pickup truck. RSO photo
When SET deputies attempted to stop the stolen pickup in the area of Jefferson St. and Miles Ave., Meza refused to yield and he sped away from deputies in an attempt to evade apprehension, according to Smith.
Meza eventually stopped about 15 miles later and fled from the pickup on foot on Polk St., near Ave. 64.
With assistance from a CHP helicopter and a Palm Desert K-9, SET and other deputies located and apprehended Meza without further incident, around 6:35 p.m.
Based on their investigation, Meza was booked into Riverside County Jail in Indio on suspicion of possession of stolen property, recklessly evading officers, being a felon in possession of ammunition, and criminal conspiracy; all felonies. He was also booked on misdemeanor charges of violating a restraining order and battery. Officials did not specify if all Meza’s charges were related to Tuesday’s arrest or if he had outstanding warrants for his arrest.
Jail records indicate he remains in custody on $500,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at Indio’s Larson Justice Center, April 5.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Deputy M. Rodriguez or Deputy A. McGuire at the La Quinta Police Department (760) 863-8051, or Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Dispatch (760) 836-3215. Callers can refer to incident file number LA190920068 and can remain anonymous.
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.