Temecula’s new fire chief arrested after alleged domestic disturbance

UPDATED: Monday, June 3, 9 p.m., With confirmation and additional details from RSO

See Original Story Below.

WILDOMAR — Riverside County Sheriff’s Department today confirmed the arrest of Jodie Lynn Gray – City of Temecula’s first female fire chief – after a reported domestic disturbance involving the official and her spouse at the couple’s Wildomar residence.

Responding to a request for additional information and details about Sunday morning’s arrest, Riverside County Sheriff’s Media Information Bureau told RCNS in an email this afternoon that the incident which led to Gray’s arrest began late Saturday evening, June 1.

“At 11:47 p.m., deputies responded to the report of a domestic disturbance in the 24900 block of Pasture Court, Wildomar,” RSO’s MIB wrote. “During the investigation, deputies determined a crime occurred and (Gray) was ultimately arrested for misdemeanor battery.”

Riverside County Sheriff’s online jail booking records indicate the 51-year-old was arrested about twenty minutes after midnight by deputies assigned to patrol the Wildomar area. She was later booked into Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of domestic battery, a misdemeanor.

Gray was released within hours after her arrest after posting $5,000 bail, and she is scheduled to be arraigned at Murrieta’s Southwest Justice Center, July 29.

“The investigation remains ongoing and no additional information is being released at this time,” sheriff’s officials explained.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.


Original Story:

WILDOMAR — Details are just beginning to emerge but sources indicate that City of Temecula’s new fire chief was arrested and booked into jail after a domestic violence related incident, early Sunday morning, June 2. As of this report, neither Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department or Riverside County Sheriff’s Department officials have responded to requests for more information about the arrest.

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Riverside County Sheriff’s online jail booking records indicate Jodie Lynn Gray, 51, of Wildomar, was arrested about twenty minutes after midnight at a Wildomar residence by deputies assigned to patrol the Wildomar area. She was later booked into Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of domestic battery, a misdemeanor. Gray was released within hours after her arrest after posting $5,000 bail, and she is scheduled to be arraigned at Murrieta’s Southwest Justice Center, July 29.

Jail records indicate that Jodie Gray, who was appointed as City of Temecula Fire Chief last February, was arrested and later booked on a single count of domestic battery, June 2. City of Temecula photo

Gray, who began her fire career in 1991 as a volunteer firefighter at Home Gardens Fire Station 13 in Corona, was appointed Temecula’s newest fire chief last February, “after an extensive and competitive process,” City of Temecula announced after her appointment.

Gray came to the position with more than 28 years of firefighting experience, having held assignments as Fire Apparatus Engineer for the Lake Elsinore Battalion; a Limited Term Fire Captain position in the San Bernardino Unit, at the Highland Station; a permanent Fire Captain position at Lake Hills Station 82 in Riverside; Battalion Chief for the City of La Quinta; and San Jacinto Battalion, where she also managed the County Hazardous Material Team Program.

Gray has also served at Perris Emergency Command Center, as Division Chief assigned to the department’s Strategic Planning Bureau, and other vital assignments.

SEE RELATED: Jodie Gray appointed as City of Temecula’s Fire Chief

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.


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.

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