Wanted felon & second man arrested after stolen vehicle pursuit near Perris

Main image credit: Jackie Garrett Kasinger

GAVILAN HILLS, Calif., — Authorities say two men, including a felon who has already been convicted of vehicle theft and other crimes, were arrested at the end of a dangerous high-speed pursuit of a stolen vehicle in the Gavilan Hills area southeast of Lake Mathews and west of Perris Friday afternoon, Jan. 7.

During the chase the fleeing man drove into oncoming traffic, causing at least one accident when another motorist swerved off the roadway to avoid the suspect’s oncoming car and crashed into a fence, according to officials.

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Deputies from the Perris Sheriff’s Station spotted a vehicle that had been reported as stolen around 12:40 p.m. and initiated a vehicle pursuit when the driver refused to yield to their lights and sirens.

As the chase continued on several Gavilan Hills area streets, the driver of the stolen vehicle drove in an extremely reckless manner without regard for the safety of other citizens and pursuing officials, according to Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Kamal Kabbara.

Brian Paul and Michael Restivo, both of Riverside, were arrested at the end of a stolen vehicle pursuit that caused at least one collision involving another motorist in the Gavilan Hills area west of Perris on Friday afternoon. RSO booking photo

At one point during the pursuit, the fleeing driver drove into the opposing lane of traffic toward another vehicle, causing that vehicle to veer off the road and collide into a fence, the Sergeant explained.

The pursuit ultimately ended in the hills near the intersection of Olive Street and La Mina Lane, where the stolen vehicle’s two occupants were arrested.

Based on their subsequent investigation, deputies arrested the driver, Brian Charles Paul, 44, and passenger, Michael Restivo, 46, both of Riverside.

Both men were later transported to the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta where Paul was booked on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, a prior conviction of a stolen vehicle, felony evading, assault with a deadly weapon, violation of probation, and transportation of narcotics, and Restivo was booked on suspicion of possession of narcotics.

Online jail records indicate Paul remains in custody where he is being held without bail, while Restivo was released within hours of his arrest with a citation to appear in court at a later date.

Anyone with further information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact Deputy D. Thomas at Perris Sheriff’s Station at (951) 210-1000. Callers can refer to incident file number PC220070030 and can remain anonymous.

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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.