Suspect(s) elude capture after Canyon Hills stolen vehicle pursuit

November 30, 2021 Trevor Montgomery

CANYON HILLS, Calif., — Authorities say a suspect or suspects managed to elude capture after a stolen vehicle pursuit that happened in the Canyon Hills area east of Lake Elsinore early Monday morning, Nov. 29.

Despite a large law enforcement response to the area, which included Sheriff’s patrol deputies and SWAT members, along with Sheriff’s K-9 and Aviation units, no arrests were made after the chase.

LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
UPDATE: Father & two sons ID’d after Desert Shores trailer park fire that destroyed eight homes
UPDATE: Murrieta pilot ID’d after plane crashes just short of Temecula neighborhood
Two children airlifted after Chiriaco Summit crash that injured two adults
Multiple victims come forward in Riverside high school rape investigation
Armed bank robbery in Redlands leads to arrest of Moreno Valley man

Deputies from the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station responded to the area of Railroad Canyon Road and Canyon Hills Road after receiving the report of a stolen vehicle seen at or near a Stater Bros Market, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Veronica Amparano and witnesses have since reported.

The vehicle had been stolen from the Long Beach area, according to Amparano; and was possibly involved in a robbery and carjacking, according to various unconfirmed reports.

When deputies arrived in the area and spotted the stolen vehicle they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, at which time the unknown driver failed to yield and a pursuit was initiated.

The short chase continued about a mile to a residential neighborhood in the 33000 block of Mistflower Court, where the suspect or suspects fled the vehicle on foot. At least one suspect was last seen running into a ravine to the west of Canyon Hills Community Park, leading deputies from around the area to swarm into the neighborhood.

Due to the reported crimes involving the stolen vehicle and the suspect(s) being considered armed and dangerous, deputies at the scene requested additional resources to the area, at which time additional deputies, Sheriff’s SWAT members, a K-9 Unit, and helicopter converged on the scene.

“(Officials) conducted an extensive check of the surrounding area for the suspect with negative results,” Amparano explained; adding that the vehicle was recovered and seized as evidence.

Video filmed and shared live from the scene by social media group Canyon Hills Chat showed no less than a dozen patrol vehicles staged at different streets and locations within the area, and heavily armed deputies could be seen conducting the ongoing search for the suspect.

Although an alert was sent out indicating that nearby Herk Bouris Elementary, Cottonwood Canyon Elementary, and Canyon Lake Middle schools were placed on a precautionary lockdown, due to the early morning hour it was not immediately believed any students or faculty members were directly affected. However, many area residents who had heard of the overnight pursuit later voiced fears about sending their children to school for the day.

“Once the search was exhausted the lockdown was lifted,” said Amparano; who added the Sheriff’s investigation is continuing.

SEE OTHER LAKE ELSINORE NEWS:
Lake Elsinore Post Office on the move – New location to open Dec 3
Single-Tenant Walgreens in Lake Elsinore sells for $10.5 Million

Anyone with information regarding this investigation, or who knows the identity and/or whereabouts of the person who evaded capture, is encouraged to contact Deputy Stokes at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department- Lake Elsinore Station by calling (951) 245-3300. Callers can refer to incident file number L213330033 and can remain anonymous.

native advertising

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 50, 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.