Felon Accused In Wild SWR Chase Heads To Trial

MURRIETA, CA — Defense and prosecution motions were heard Monday ahead of jury selection for the trial of a convicted felon accused of leading Murrieta police on a hair-raising, high-speed chase that officers terminated out of concern for public safety.

Jeremy Neives Phillips, 40, of Menifee is charged with felony evading, attempted grand theft, felony vandalism and sentence-enhancing allegations of committing a crime within five years of parole from state prison.

The case was assigned to the courtroom of Riverside County Superior Court Judge W. Charles Morgan, who ruled on several motions related to witness scheduling and evidence and scheduled jury selection to begin Tuesday at the Banning Justice Center. The trial is expected to last about a week.

Phillips, who is free on $370,000 bail, has prior convictions for auto theft, receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance, according to court records.

According to Murrieta police Lt. Tony Conrad, the defendant and another man were spotted about 12:20 a.m. on April 14, 2016, in the area of Bladen Avenue and California Oaks Road, near a sedan idling in the middle of the street.

Conrad said the officer noticed the pair were going between the car and a 2005 GMC pickup truck parked along the curb. The lawman became suspicious, but when he approached the men, they jumped into the car and got onto northbound Interstate 215, heading toward Menifee, he said.

"The driver showed blatant disregard for public safety by running several red lights, driving erratically on the freeway and even driving on the wrong side of the road," Conrad alleged. "Even with the extremely reckless driving and excessive speeds, the officer was able to obtain the license plate of the suspect vehicle."

He said the patrolman stopped the chase out of concern for the safety of other motorists.

An investigation revealed that the pickup's steering column had been "punched" and that Phillips and his accomplice, whose identity remains unknown, were allegedly on the verge of stealing it.

Using the license plate information obtained by the patrolman, detectives were able to confirm the car involved in the pursuit was registered to Phillips, who was arrested after the officer positively identified him as the man at the wheel of the vehicle, Conrad said.

— By City News Service / Image via Murrieta Police Department