In a news release shared by the California Highway Patrol, officers said that they were contacted by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office for reports of a missing man, Carlos McCowan of Winchester, at around 4:30 p.m. near Indian Creek Road in the Valle Vista area. 

“During the day, McCowan was riding on a quad with his 28-year-old son, who was riding a dirt bike,” CHP’s release said. “Towards the end of the day, his son returned to his truck, but the father did not return.”

A sheriff’s department helicopter was called to the area to assist with the search, and McCown was found a short time later “hunched over” the 2014 Honda TRX450R he was riding. Both RSO and CHP personnel responded to the area via off-road vehicles to investigate a possible crash, but they said that the quad was located with all of its wheels intact. 

They said that McCowan was wearing a helmet and off-road safety clothing when he was found, and that he “displayed no obvious crash injuries.”

Police said that McCowan’s cause of death is under investigation by the Riverside County Coroner’s Office. No further information was provided as the probe continues.

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On Wednesday, deputies and personnel from the Riverside County Post Release Accountability Compliance Team located 23-year-old Samuel Salazar at a home in the 700 block of E. Wright Street in Hemet and took him into custody without incident, according to a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. 

Salazar was identified as the suspect shortly after the shooting, which happened on May 7, 2023, but deputies were unable to locate him. Despite a warrant for his arrest, he continued to elude their efforts until this week. He was booked for murder at the Robert Presley Detention Center.

The 2023 incident left 18-year-old Lake Elsinore man Noah Ivancso dead in the 33100 block of Jamieson Street. He was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds when deputies arrived at the time and he was eventually pronounced dead at the scene. 

As their investigation into the incident continues, investigators said they would not be sharing further details. Anyone who may know more was asked to contact RSO’s Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777. 

The post Hemet man arrested for deadly Lake Elsinore shooting in 2023 appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Upland police recently shared video of an unusual arrest outside of a shopping mall over the weekend, where they learned that a man had brought his teenage stepson along with him on a shoplifting spree. 

In a statement, officers say that they were proactively patrolling the Colonies Shopping Center, located in the 1900 block of N. Campus Avenue, when they were approached by the loss prevention team at a Kohl’s department store regarding a theft that had just happened. 

Those team members pointed out a teenage boy to the officers, which led to him being detained at the store. 

“During this investigation, it turned out the juvenile’s step-dad was loading a large amount of clothing into a piece of luggage and was on his way out of the same business without paying,” Upland police said. 

They say that the man had no idea his stepson had been detained as he left the store. It was there that awaiting officers confronted him. 

Instead of complying with their commands, the man attempted to run. He was quickly tackled by police. 

They say that the man stole nearly $900 worth of merchandise from the store, and that he was an active parolee with a parole violation warrant. He also had a separate warrant for assault with a deadly weapon. 

Police say that the man was taken to jail while his stepson was issued a citation and sent back home with his mother.

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The operation, which is similar to what the governor’s office called “successful operations” in Oakland, Bakersfield and San Francisco, will see the San Bernardino Police Department working with CHP’s Inland Operation Team. Additional officers will be placed in the city, in order to help local law enforcement cut down on crime that includes gun violence and property theft. 

“We are sending additional CHP support to help local law enforcement aggressively suppress criminal activity and provide this community with a new level of safety and accountability,” Newsom said in a statement. “Whether in the Bay Area, the Central Valley, or Southern California — we are monitoring and stand ready to step in and support local law enforcement to protect communities and keep Californians safe.”

According to recent data provided by the governor’s statement, violent crime in San Bernardino is almost double the statewide average, and the homicide rate is more than three times the average across California. Additionally, vehicle theft rates are amongst the highest in the state.

CHP will assist with units both on the ground and in the air, many of which will be dedicated to targeting street takeovers and stolen vehicles, the release said. Additionally, additional investigators will be provided to help SBPD in order to disrupt street gangs, organized crime and to get illegal guns off the street. 

“We are grateful to Governor Newsom for providing additional support from the California Highway Patrol to the City of San Bernardino,” said San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran in the statement. “This year, out City Police Department’s efforts have led to a 13% reduction in violent crime, and the extra support will strengthen public safety in our community. With this new state and local collaboration in San Bernardino, we can continue to impact criminal enterprises targeting our neighborhoods and businesses.”

This is the latest in a series of similar operations going on throughout California, with similar work being conducted in the Bay Area. So far, the operations have netted more than 3,200 arrests, recovered nearly 3,000 stolen vehicles and officers have seized more than 170 illegal firearms and illegal drugs. 

Since 2019, California has invested more than $1 billion to fund resources and law enforcement personnel to fight crime, the statement said. 

Governor Newsom has made efforts to aid local law enforcement with a number of historic investments aimed at stopped organized retail theft. Just last year, 55 local law enforcement agencies received over $267 from the state to help prosecute organized retail theft perpetrators, of which more than 10,000 people were arrested. 

On top of those arrests, the CHP’s Organized Retail Theft Task Fore arrested more than 3,200 people and recovered more than 880,000 stolen items worth more than $46 million. 

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“While West Nile is rarely life-threatening, it can occasionally be serious,” said Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Geoffrey Leung. “The West Nile virus is spread by mosquito bites, and there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of being bitten.”

Officials haven’t yet disclosed when the resident, only described as a youth, was infected nor did they specify which community they live in, but the person has since been hospitalized and is expected to fully recover. 

In July, two other human infections were recorded, one in Fresno county and the other in Yuba County, according to the California Department of Public Health. 

No virus-related fatalities have been reported in California so far this year, but officials are still warning residents to take the necessary steps to prevent infection. 

“It’s important to take precautions to prevent illness, especially for those who are high risk,” Leung said. “High risk groups include people over 60, people with weakened immune systems and those with diabetes, kidney disease or other chronic edical conditions. These groups should take extra precautions.”

Officials say that while symptoms may never materialize for some people who become infected, typical indicators may be fever, headache, nausea, body aches, skin rash or swollen lymph nodes. 

As mosquito season, which typically runs from May to October, continues in full force, residents are advised to limit their time outdoors during dusk and dawn, wear long pants or long sleeves when doing outdoor activity in mosquito-prone areas, use insect repellant and make sure to remove bodies of standing water that are not treated with chemicals. 

Mosquitos become carriers of the virus after feeding on an infected bird. They can then spread the potentially lethal strain to animals or humans. 

Last year, there were more than 20 reported West Nile virus infections in Riverside County, none of which resulted in death. There were no reported cases in 2022. 

The post Riverside County reports first case of West Nile Virus this year appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

They were first called to the 1600 block of Perris Boulevard at around 12:15 a.m. after learning of an assault with a deadly weapon in the area, according to a statement form the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. 

They arrived to find a man suffering from gunshot wounds and despite attempting life-saving measures he was pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said. 

A short time later, just before 1 a.m., deputies located the suspect’s vehicle in Beaumont thanks to an aviation unit, the statement said. 

Both deputies and Beaumont Police Department officers attempted to stop the car, but the suspect fled and a pursuit began. 

They chased him into Hemet, where he finally came to a stop at the intersection of Florida Avenue and Acacia Avenue, according to the RSO statement. 

The suspect, identified as 46-year-old Moreno Valley man Ernesto Lopez Jr., was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder and felony evading. 

The victim has not yet been identified. 

Deputies say that there are no suspects outstanding in the matter.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact investigators at (951) 210-1000.

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Police were called to a hospital on Oct. 21, 2023 after learning of a person that had arrived with several gunshot wounds that happened during a car-to-car shooting in the Orangecrest neighborhood, according to a statement from the Riverside Police Department. 

The man, who drove himself to the hospital, told investigators that the shooting happened at around 7 p.m. as he drove along Grove Community Drive towards Plainview Street when another car pulled up alongside him. 

“Gunfire came from this other vehicle and he was struck several times,” the police statement said, noting that they discovered evidence at the scene of the shooting.

Robbery-Homicide detectives initiated a follow-up investigation, which led them to determine that the incident was a murder-for-hire shooting. 

“The victim had been dating a woman whose father is a pastor for a Spanish-speaking church in the city of Victorville,” the police statement said. 

They identified the pastor as Samuel Pasillas, 47, of Victorville. 

“During their investigation, detectives uncovered evidence the father met with the men he hired and provided them information about the victim, including his location the evening of the shooting,” police said. 

They also learned that the men were paid nearly $40,000 by the father, and that they had conducted surveillance on the victim for several weeks prior to the date of the shooting. 

On March 13, officers served search warrants at houses in Victorville, Long Beach and Lynwood, leading to the arrest of Pasillas. He was booked for solicitation for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. He remains jailed on $1 million bail. 

Police also arrested Juan Manuel Cebreros, 55, of Long Beach, who was also booked for conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held on $1 million bail. 

The investigation remains ongoing. 

Anyone with further information is asked to contact detectives at (951) 353-7104.

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