Shots fired, vehicle pursuit, multiple crashes end with Hemet man’s arrest

HEMET, Calif. — Authorities say a man who was shot by a Hemet police officer after trying to run the officer down during a traffic stop was arrested after crashing into two parked cars and then leading officers on a short vehicle pursuit early this morning, Thursday, March 25.

The vehicle pursuit turned into a foot chase after the suspect crashed into a light pole and then attempted to flee on foot through the Sears parking lot at the Hemet Valley Mall. He was ultimately taken down by a well-aimed Taser deployment.

LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:

With speeds nearing 100 mph cited, San Jacinto speed enforcement operation nets 36

Two CHP officers sustain major injuries after fiery I-5 wreck that killed three others

A Hard Look at the Reality of Sex Trafficking and Social Media Exploitation

Discovery of woman’s body in Temecula leads to Murrieta man’s arrest

Downed hang glider hoisted to safety after San Jacinto crash

This morning’s incident began around 2:30 a.m., when Hemet police officers conducted a traffic enforcement stop on a dark-colored pickup truck for a minor vehicle code violation in 100 block of Valley View Drive, Hemet PD Public Information Officer Cheyne Nicot has since said of the violent encounter and arrest.

During the traffic stop officers learned the driver, Richard Horn, 37, of Hemet, had an active warrant for his arrest and attempted to take him into custody.

Officers can be seen tending to a suspect’s injuries after the man first tried to run over an officer – leading to an officer-involved shooting, then crashed into two cars before later crashing into a pole and attempting to flee on foot at the Hemet Valley Mall. Hemet Crime Society photos

“During the arrest process, an officer-involved shooting occurred when Horn attempted to run over one of the arresting officers,” Nicot explained. “Horn then collided with two parked vehicles and fled from officers driving westbound on Latham Avenue.”

Officers pursued Horn about a half-mile before the fleeing man crashed into a light pole in the 100 block of North Gilmore Street and ultimately came to a stop in the Sears parking lot.

“Horn fled on foot and was taken into custody following the use of a less lethal Conducted Electrical Weapon,” explained Nicot.

“Horn was transported to an area hospital for serious injuries sustained during the officer-involved shooting and subsequent car crashes,” Nicot continued; adding, “No officers were injured during this incident.”

Horn, who remains hospitalized, faces numerous charges following this morning’s officer-involved shooting and subsequent attempts to evade arrest. Hemet PD photo

The Hemet Police Detective Bureau and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Force Investigation Detail have assumed the investigation, which is active and ongoing.

“Further details, including charges filed, will be released when Horn is medically cleared for booking,” said Nicot.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact investigators at (951) 765-2400. Callers can remain anonymous.

---

---

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 (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).

Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County-based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.

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.