Crime & Safety
RIVCO Man Charged With Murdering Fellow Motorist Appears in Court
The man, is being charged with killing another motorist last week in Moreno Valley, made his first appearance in Riverside County Court.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A 24-year-old man accused of gunning down amotorist, whose car came to a stop after crashing into a retaining wall inMoreno Valley, made his initial court appearance today on murder and othercharges. Jayvonte Johnell Wilkinson, who's being held without bail at the SmithCorrectional Facility in Banning, was arrested a day after the shootingdeath of 23-year-old Jared Lewis of Moreno Valley, who was killed last Tuesday night.
Along with murder, Wilkinson is charged with shooting at an occupiedvehicle, illegal possession of a firearm and sentence-enhancing gun and greatbodily injury allegations. The defendant appeared before Riverside County Superior Court Judge O.G. Magno, who appointed him a public defender and scheduled his arraignment for May 11 at the Riverside Hall of Justice. According to sheriff's Sgt. Ben Ramirez, deputies were alerted to a possible moving gunfight about 9 p.m. last Tuesday in the area of Heacock Avenue and Sunnymead Ranch Parkway.
Witnesses stated that shots were fired attwo different locations along Sunnymead Ranch in quick succession, the sergeantsaid. Within minutes of the first ``shots fired'' call, patrol deputies stopped a motorist -- later identified as Wilkinson -- allegedly spotted fleeing the scene in his car, Ramirez said. The defendant was detained for questioning. Ramirez said moments later, Lewis' Dodge Charger slammed into a retaining wall at Sunnymead Ranch and Hyacinth Lane. Deputies found the victim unconscious with multiple gunshots to the upper body, according to the sergeant.
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Lewis was taken to Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley, where he died a short time later. After questioning Wilkinson for several hours, detectives booked himinto jail for the alleged attack, a possible motive for which was not disclosed. The defendant has no documented prior felony convictions. However, he has several unresolved misdemeanor cases pending in Riverside County Superior Court -- one for alleged abuse of a domestic partner, and the other for driving on a suspended license.
- City News Service
