Lake Elsinore Woman Escapes Police Custody En Route To Jail Booking: Sheriff's Dept.

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A Lake Elsinore woman is behind bars Thursday, suspected of first trying to steal a water district truck, and then escaping — although briefly — police custody upon her arrest, the sheriff's department reports. Destiny Fawn Lytle, 25, is now facing charges related to vehicle theft and escape, according to sheriff's Sgt. Luke Torres.

It all started around 8:51 a.m. Wednesday in the area of Center Street and Country Club Boulevard in Lake Elsinore, according to Torres. An Eastern Municipal Water District worker called authorities to report that someone had just tried to steal his vehicle.

"The driver, an employee of EMWD, said as he was stopped at the intersection a woman climbed into the bed of the truck," Torres said in a news release. "When the driver exited the truck, the woman told him she was thirsty and wanted water."

The man offered the woman water, but when he did so — she tried to take the EMWD truck, Torres said.

"As the driver was pouring her some water from a cooler located at the rear of the truck, the woman got into the truck and attempted to drive away," he said. "The driver managed to reach in and remove the keys from the ignition before the woman could place the truck into gear."

Lytle then took off running from the man as he called police, but responding officers quickly caught up with her and placed her under arrest on suspicion of vehicle theft, Torres said.

As is routine, the deputies took her over to the Southwest Detention Center so Lytle could be booked. What allegedly happened next, though, wasn't routine.

"On arrival at the jail, Lytle was being walked to the jail entrance when she was able to break free, and ran a short distance in the parking lot," Torres said. "Lytle was quickly apprehended and there was no threat to the safety of the community."

Once back in custody, she was taken into the jail to be booked on charges related to vehicle theft and escape, Torres said. Online booking records indicate she was being held in lieu of $10,000 bail as of Thursday afternoon.

Anyone with additional information related to this case was asked to call the Riverside County Sheriff’s dispatch center at (951) 776-1099, or the Lake Elsinore Police Department at (951) 245-3300.

Booking photo courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department