Drunk Elsinore parolee nabbed after crashing while fleeing from deputy

LAKE ELSINORE — A drunken parolee who attempted to flee from authorities in Lake Elsinore was arrested after crashing into another vehicle and trying to flee the scene on foot Wednesday evening, July 24.

Last night’s incident and arrest happened after a deputy tried to contact a suspicious vehicle with its lights off that was parked in a residential area near Lakeshore Dr. and Bushman St. The incident ended when the alleged suspect plowed into another vehicle at the intersection of Riverside Dr. and Lincoln St.

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At around 9:20 p.m., a deputy assigned to the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station spotted an occupied vehicle parked with its lights off in a residential neighborhood near Lakeshore Dr. and Bushman St., Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Brett Seckinger later reported.

As the deputy made a U-Turn to investigate what the driver was doing in the neighborhood, the man immediately fled the area at a high rate of speed, Seckinger explained.

Christopher Padilla was arrested after trying to flee from a deputy and crashing into another car. RSO booking photo

The driver, later identified as 35-year-old, Christopher Ryan Padilla, of Lake Elsinore, fled from the neighborhood onto Lakeshore Drive, where “he committed several severe moving violations” and drove without regard for the safety of other citizens and motorists while attempting to evade the deputy.

As the deputy was still trying to catch up with the fleeing man and before he initiated a pursuit, Padilla failed to slow or stop for a red light at the intersection of Riverside Dr. and Lincoln St. Padilla’s vehicle then smashed into another vehicle that was crossing the intersection.

“The deputy arrived at the intersection within seconds and apprehend the driver who attempted to flee the scene on foot,” Seckinger continued. 

Neither Padilla or the occupants of the other vehicle were injured in the collision according to the Sgt.

Padilla was arrested at the scene and later booked into Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of hit and run, driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony evading and recklessly evading officers, and violation of state parole. He remains in custody without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at Murrieta’s Southwest Justice Center, July 26.

Anyone with further information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Deputy Kramer from the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station at (951) 245-3300. Callers can refer to incident file number L192050154 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

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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.