Trio Accused Of Fleeing Police, Leading Chase In Lake Elsinore

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Two probationers suspected of fleeing from sheriff's deputies following a vehicle break-in outside a Lake Elsinore mall were behind bars Thursday, while their alleged cohort was free on bond.

Josephine Elena Frljuckic, 33, and Enrique Serrato, 34, were arrested Tuesday along with 34-year-old Adam James Hastings after the nearly 20-mile pursuit, which ended in the Temescal Valley, just south of Corona.

According to Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Javier Morando, about 2:20 p.m. Tuesday, the trio allegedly broke into a parked car near the Outlets at Lake Elsinore on Collier Avenue.

Witnesses called 911, and deputies reached the location a short time later, but the suspects were gone, Morando said.

A description of the alleged getaway car was broadcast, and a deputy patrolling the 31700 block of Grape Street spotted it, he said.

"Deputies attempted to conduct a stop on the vehicle; however, the driver failed to yield, and a pursuit was initiated," the sergeant said.

The driver, Hastings, allegedly fled north on Interstate 15, going 17 miles until reaching Spanish Hills Drive in Temescal Valley, where he stopped, Morando said.

All three suspects bailed out of the vehicle and ran into the surrounding hills, Morando alleged.

They were apprehended less than two hours later without further incident. No one was injured.

Both Frljuckic and Serrato were booked on suspicion of obstruction of a peace officer and probation violations. She's being held on $50,000 bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning; he's being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.

Hastings was arrested on suspicion of felony evading and booked into the Murrieta jail. He posted a $100,000 bond and was released Wednesday morning.

—By City News Service