Murrieta, Wildomar Armed Robberies: Suspect Arrested In Menifee

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A man accused of perpetrating at least eight robberies over the last month in western Riverside County was arrested Tuesday following a police chase that started in Hemet and ended in Menifee.

Gabriel Rudy Hernandez of Moreno Valley was booked into the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on suspicion of multiple counts of armed robbery, as well as felony evading. Bail information was not immediately available.

According to Riverside County Sheriff's Sgt. Ryan Marcuse, about noon, a Hemet police patrol officer spotted a silver Volkswagen Passat with Hernandez at the wheel around noon, recognizing both car and driver as wanted, and signaled the suspect to stop, but he allegedly fled instead.

"A vehicle pursuit took place which ended in the city of Menifee," the sergeant said.

Hernandez stopped and was taken into custody without further incident, according to Marcuse.

No one was injured.

According to Marcuse, Hernandez was first connected to a May 28 holdup at a USA Gas Station in the 22900 block of Alessandro Boulevard, near Frederick Street, in Moreno Valley.

Marcuse said the suspect entered the store, pulled a revolver out of his left pants pocket and demanded money, which the clerk immediately relinquished. Hernandez then fled in the Volkswagen, according to the sergeant.

He said sheriff's detectives relied partly on Moreno Valley's Citywide Camera System to assist in the investigation, culminating in the suspect being positively identified.

The information was disseminated to law enforcement agencies throughout the region.

Marcuse said the suspect has been linked to holdups in Murrieta, Nuevo, Perris and Wildomar, along with Moreno Valley.