BREAKING: Pursuit, rolling shots fired, crash, shock SJ valley residents
WRITER’S NOTE: This is a breaking story with few verified facts, other than details gathered from official radio traffic at the time. None of the involved agencies has released any official details regarding this pursuit, crash or shooting as of this breaking story. As such, some of the facts and details could change as more information becomes available. -TM
HEMET, Calif. — Details are beginning to trickle in and officials remain very active at the scene of the ending of a Hemet pursuit, during which the driver fired multiple rounds at pursuing Hemet PD and CHP officers.
Based on official radio traffic, although at least two of the pursuing vehicles were possibly struck by gunfire, no officers were injured during the chase or multiple shootings. Radio traffic has also indicated that a man and woman from the pursued vehicle have been safely taken into custody.
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Shortly before 6 p.m., Hemet police officers advised they were in pursuit of a vehicle that failed to yield to a traffic enforcement stop somewhere in the area of Domenigoni Parkway near Warren Rd. and Sanderson Ave.
Official radio traffic at the time indicated officers reported they were chasing a red Toyota Solara with a grey bumper. Officers also advised the vehicle was being driven by an adult male and that a female passenger was inside the car.
Despite being repeatedly shot at during a pursuit that traveled several miles from Hemet to the unincorporated Homeland area, Hemet PD and CHP officers managed to apprehend the fleeing man and his passenger when the driver stopped in the middle of Hwy 79. near Juniper Flats Rd. John Strangis/EN Media Productions/Hemet News photo
As the pursuit continued westbound on Domenigoni Parkway while approaching the Winchester area, officers updated that the driver had opened fire on them and that one of the pursuing vehicles was possibly struck by gunfire. Officers then updated that the driver could be seen reloading his firearm.
With a Riverside County Sheriff’s Aviation Crew in Star-9 racing to the area and CHP already having joined the pursuit, officers updated that the driver was continuing to fire multiple rounds at them.
The pursuit then continued northbound on Winchester Rd./Hwy. 79. toward Florida Ave./Hwy 74., where the driver reportedly fired at least three more rounds in the area of Asbury St., where a CHP officer’s vehicle was struck by gunfire.
The chase then turned westbound on Florida Ave./Hwy 74, where a few minutes later officers updated that the driver of the Toyota stopped in the middle of westbound 74 near Juniper Flats Rd. They also reported that he and his female passenger were complying with officers’ orders.
Hemet Police and CHP officers discuss a dangerous chase during which the driver of the pursued vehicle repeatedly fired multiple rounds at officers’ patrol vehicles behind him. John Strangis/EN Media Productions/Hemet News photo
Both were subsequently handcuffed and detained for further investigation, according to John Strangis, of EN Media Productions/Hemet News; who was on scene when the pursuit came to a peaceful conclusion.
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It was not immediately known if any of the pursuing officers returned fire on the fleeing vehicle during the pursuit or why officers initially attempted to stop the vehicle.
Hemet PD and CHP remain at that scene, as well as the scene of a crash involving a Hemet police Sgt., who was involved in a major collision with a white sedan at the same time as the pursuit.
It was not immediately known if the crash was directly related to the pursuit, or if the Sgt. crashed while responding to the area of the chase.
It was also not yet known if anyone was injured in the collision, which left the Sgt.’s patrol SUV heavily damaged.
This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.
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John Strangis/EN Media Productions/Hemet News photos above, video below.
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Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 49, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; 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 30 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 18 grandchildren.
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