Second car-to-car shooting in San Jacinto valley in 7 days leads to crash, one injured

December 26, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

HEMET, Calif. — San Jacinto valley residents say they are rattled and afraid to leave their homes after two apparently unprovoked car-to-car shootings over the last seven days. The most recent shooting, which happened on Columbia Street north of N. Florida Avenue, led to a three vehicle, chain reaction crash and left one driver hospitalized Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24.

The first shooting, which happened seven days earlier, Thursday, Dec. 17, near the intersection of Hewitt Street and Esplanade Avenue in San Jacinto, killed a driver’s dog, a seven–year-old standard poodle, named “Precious”. The dog was fatally struck by one of at least eight bullets that were fired at the terrified driver, according to officials.

Authorities have not yet said or speculated whether the two shootings, which happened less than two miles apart, were possibly related or if it was the same suspect who fired the rounds. As of this report, no suspect(s) had been taken into custody or identified in either shooting incidents.

LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
Attorneys dispute facts after new details, videos released following Riverside County in-custody death
Investigation continuing after man dies at Riverside County jail
Parolee arrested after three Riverside robberies in one night
San Jacinto woman, 28, ID’d after deadly SR-60 rollover
DUI driver arrested after fleeing fiery Temecula wreck

City of Hemet Police and Fire personnel, along with California Highway Patrol and AMR, responded to reports of a traffic collision with shots fired just after 4:30 p.m.

When officials arrived they found a white Nissan SUV that had crashed into a red Chevy pickup truck that had been parked in front of the Columbia Courtyard Apartments on the 100 block of N. Florida Avenue. Evidence at the scene indicated that the impact between the Nissan and pickup caused the truck to then hit a Honda sedan that had been parked next to it.

Reports of the second apparently unprovoked car to car shooting in the San Jacinto valley over the last seven days have many area residents saying they are afraid to leave their homes. Timothy Franzese/Public Safety Incidents photo

Officers learned from the victim that the suspect had fired upon their vehicle from a black Honda that was last seen heading northbound on Columbia Street. The suspect’s vehicle was gone prior to officer’s arrival and despite searching for the vehicle officers were not immediately able to locate it or its occupant(s).

The driver of the Nissan was transported by AMR to an area hospital for treatment; however, it was not immediately known if the victim’s injuries were caused by the collision or from being struck by one of the bullets fired at them and their vehicle.

During their subsequent investigation officials documented evidence of at least one bullet hole, which was found just below the driver’s side door handle. It was not immediately known how many rounds were fired at or had struck the victim’s vehicle.

SEE RELATED: Victim’s dog dead after car to car shooting in San Jacinto

Hemet PD’s investigation of last night’s shooting and the Dec. 17 shooting, which is being handled by San Jacinto Sheriff’s deputies, both remain under investigation and no further details have been released.

Click any image to view full-size gallery.

Timothy Franzese/Public Safety Incidents photos above, video below.

This article sponsored by:

For more information, contact Bill Tyler at Century 21 Full Realty Service.

With breaking news articles, videos, podcasts, opinion pieces and more, Law Enforcement News Network has all the latest news and information related to law enforcement issues across the nation.

Voted Best Independent Sandwich Shop in the Inland Empire by The Press-Enterprise readers choice. Centrally located on N Harvard St in the heart of Downtown Hemet, enjoy over 30 different sandwiches and premium salads. Our coffee is made from locally roasted, Organic Coffee Beans from Idyllwild Coffee Roasters. Come taste the difference that is Downtown Deli & Coffee Company. For more information, visit Downtown Deli & Coffee Co. on Facebook.

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.