Robbery Suspects Lead Cops On Chase Into Temecula, Crash On I-15

TEMECULA, CA — Law enforcement officers swarmed into Temecula on Friday morning after a police pursuit ended with a crash and foot chase in town. The crash happened around 11:35 a.m. along the northbound side of Interstate 15, north of Winchester Road and involved multiple robbery suspects, according to the CHP and sheriff's officials.

Temecula CHP officials say the San Diego County Sheriff's Department is handling the investigation related to the pursuit suspects, one of whom was hurt in the crash.

"A 4-door Hyundai Sonata was driving northbound on the freeway at a high rate of speed, weaving in and out of traffic," Officer Mike Lassig said, adding that driver was fleeing sheriff's officials at the time.

"The driver ultimately collided into a Honda Civic on the right front side of the Civic," Lassig said. "The suspect vehicle then continued in a northerly direction where it collided into the left side of a tractor trailer."

At that point, the Sonata became disabled, and all but one of the suspects took off on foot.

"One person in that suspect vehicle was taken into custody and was transported to a local hospital with complaint of pain," Lassig said.

The San Diego Sheriff's Department says the chase started around 11 a.m., when an off-duty deputy spotted a robbery happening at a Verizon store in San Marcos.

"Four suspects were robbing both the store and people inside the store," Sheriff's Lt. Karen Stubkjaer said. "The deputy attempted to intervene but the suspects fled the business."

Sheriff's deputies from the San Marcos station responded and tried to stop the suspects, but they took off, eventually heading into Riverside County via Interstate 15, she said.

After the crash and chase in Temecula, "all four suspects were located and taken into custody," she said, adding that the Riverside County Sheriff's Department assisted with catching the suspects.

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Images by Cynthia Leon