A 40-year-old man from Homeland remained under arrest Tuesday on suspicion of murder, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department announced.

Deputies responded to the 31000 block of Neer Street in Homeland around 5:30 p.m. Sunday to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon.

Upon arrival, deputies found a man suffering from a gunshot wound in a vehicle. The man was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was later identified as Ryan White, 43, of San Diego County.

Deputies contacted and detained a possible suspect at the scene. The man also required medical attention and was rushed to a nearby hospital. He was later identified as Benjamin Velez of Homeland.

Velez was arrested on Monday and booked in to the Riverside County Jail where he was being held on a $1 million bail.

Anyone with additional information was encouraged to contact investigator K. Farag at 951-955-2777.

A probationer suspected of stealing thousands of dollars worth of jewelry in San Diego County, as well as possessing illegal drugs, was out of custody Thursday.

George William Moore, 59, of Wildomar had been arrested and booked into the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of possession of stolen property, controlled substances and drug paraphernalia, as well as probation violations.

Moore posted a $30,000 bond and was released from custody hours later.

Sheriff’s Lt. Brett Johnson of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said deputies searched Moore’s vehicle early Wednesday and discovered “80 grams of methamphetamine, $8,000 cash and other items related to drug sales … along with numerous pieces of jewelry estimated at a value of more than $20,000.”

“The jewelry was later connected to a burglary in San Diego County,” Johnson said, adding that the victim has been identified.

The events that led to Moore’s arrest began at about 3:30 a.m. when patrol deputies spotted a vehicle stopped in lanes at Grape Street and Railroad Canyon Road in Lake Elsinore.

When they went to investigate, they discovered Moore asleep at the wheel, Johnson said, explaining that deputies confirmed the suspect was on probation, prompting the search.

Moore was taken into custody without incident. Sheriff’s officials did not offer details of his prior convictions.

– City News Service

Authorities released video footage Monday of a shootout between law enforcement personnel and a domestic-murder suspect who fatally shot himself after being wounded during the exchange of gunfire in northern Oceanside.

The images, captured by uniform-worn cameras and security systems, show 28-year-old Dorian Larkin and pursuing officers driving into a parking lot at a strip mall in the 500 block of Vandegrift Boulevard about 3 a.m. June 23, following a road chase that began about a half-hour earlier in the Riverside area, according to the Oceanside Police Department.

After jumping out of his still-rolling car, Larkin allegedly turned and shot at officers and sheriff’s deputies with a pistol. Two of them returned fire, leaving him with several non-life-threatening leg wounds, OPD Assistant Chief Sean Marchand said.

The suspect then ran off to the north through a breezeway at the rear of the shopping center and onto Sol Drive. Officers found him sprawled in the roadway there moments later, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, his gun still in his hand.

Though several law enforcement vehicles were damaged by flying bullets during the exchange of gunfire, no officers or bystanders were injured.

The events that led to the shootout began late on the evening of June 22, when 911 callers reported hearing screams and gunshots from inside an apartment in the 500 block of Fredricks Avenue, north of state Route 76 and east of Los Arbolitos Boulevard.

Patrol officers arrived to find the suspect’s girlfriend, 34-year-old Kimberly Foster, dead in the residential unit, and detectives soon identified Larkin as the presumed killer.

Shortly after 2:30 a.m. the following day, deputies with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department spotted Larkin driving on Interstate 15 near Winchester Road in Temecula. When they tried to stop him, he refused to yield and fled to the south.

The suspect soon re-entered San Diego County, where he passed through Fallbrook on Interstate 15, then headed west, winding up back in Oceanside.

After running over a tire-flattening spike strip that police had laid out in his path, Larkin pulled over into the strip mall near Melba Bishop Park. Moments later, he was exchanging gunfire with Oceanside police Officer Malcolm Cisneros and Riverside County sheriff’s Deputy Richard Schweitzer, then fleeing to the spot where he took his own life, according to police.

City News Service contributed to this article.

A convicted felon accused of gunning down a man during a confrontation in Moreno Valley was charged Wednesday with murder and other offenses after being apprehended in San Diego County.

David Diaz, 38, of Los Angeles was arrested Monday following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the slaying of 44-year-old Giovanni Ibarra.

Along with the murder count, Diaz is charged with firearm assault and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.

The defendant, who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside, was slated to make his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Brosche, at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday, Diaz and the victim were involved in an unspecified confrontation in the 25000 block of Joshua Avenue, near Agave Street. During the encounter, Diaz pulled a gun and opened fire, mortally wounding Ibarra, Brosche said.

He said the defendant immediately fled, and witnesses called 911.

Patrol deputies reached the location minutes later and found the victim gravely wounded. Despite attempts to revive him, paramedics pronounced Ibarra dead at the scene, according to Brosche.

Central Homicide Unit detectives developed leads pointing to Diaz as the alleged shooter, and he was tracked to Otay Mesa in San Diego County, where he was taken into custody without incident late Sunday night.

A possible motive for the alleged attack was not disclosed.

According to court records, Diaz has at least one prior felony conviction in another jurisdiction, but the offense was not listed.

The 18-year-old driver of a Kia was arrested Sunday on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, felony evading and two counts of felony child endangerment after a pursuit from Riverside to Vista ended in a crash with four occupants detained and rushed to area hospitals.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department notified the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department to be on the lookout for a stolen white 2023 Kia Forte that deputies were pursuing southbound on Interstate 15 at 2:45 a.m. Sunday, according to Lt. Claudia Delgado of the SDCSD. Riverside sheriff’s deputies had lost sight of the Kia.

A short time later, deputies from the Fallbrook station saw the Kia traveling south on I-15 at Mission Road with no lights on, the lieutenant said.

“Deputies initiated a traffic enforcement stop and the driver failed to yield, resulting in a traffic pursuit,” Delgado said. “The stolen Kia continued southbound on I-15 at speeds in excess of 110 mph.”

The pursuit led deputies through Escondido before entering onto westbound Highway 78.

The Kia continued to flee at high speeds and exited on Sycamore Avenue. As the Kia traveled through Vista, the driver failed to negotiate a traffic circle at the intersection of South Santa Fe Avenue and Pala Vista Drive and struck the concrete traffic circle structure, causing the vehicle to overturn, Delgado said.

Deputies detained four people exiting the Kia: an adult driver, an adult passenger and two juvenile passengers. All four were taken to local hospitals for medical evaluations.

A pursuing deputy’s view was obscured by the Kia kicking up dust and debris and the deputy was unable to avoid a crash into the traffic circle, the lieutenant said. The deputy was rushed to a hospital with minor injuries.

The driver of the Kia was identified as Brenden Hawkins.

City News Service contributed to this article.

An online fundraiser for the family of a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy killed during a confrontation with a domestic violence suspect topped $150,000 Monday, with funeral arrangements for the fallen lawman still pending.

Deputy Darnell Calhoun, 30, was assigned to the sheriff’s Lake Elsinore station in Riverside County after he laterally transferred from the San Diego Police Department nearly one year ago.

Calhoun, who left behind a pregnant wife and two young sons, died after he was rushed to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where the suspect was also taken and remains in critical condition after he was shot by a deputy backing up Calhoun.

A “Help A Hero” fundraiser was immediately established for the slain lawman. As of early Monday afternoon, $166,488 in donations had been made on behalf of Calhoun’s family. The fundraiser link is https://helpahero.com/campaign/deputy-darnell-calhoun.

Officials at sheriff’s headquarters in Riverside have yet to announce when funeral services will go forward.

According to Sheriff Chad Bianco, Calhoun was fatally shot about 4:20 p.m. Friday in the 18000 block of Hilldale Lane, near Grand Avenue, when he approached a residence from which a 911 call had been placed indicating there was a domestic disturbance.

Bianco said that Calhoun was hit when 42-year-old Jesse Navarro of Lake Elsinore allegedly opened fire from the residence.

“The second deputy on the scene found Deputy Calhoun wounded in the street,” Bianco said Friday. “A gunfight ensued with the suspect, who was shot. The suspect was treated at the scene and transported to the hospital.”

Background information on the alleged gunman was unavailable.

A candlelight vigil for the fallen lawman — the second Riverside County sheriff’s deputy killed in a confrontation in less than three weeks — is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the sheriff’s Lake Elsinore station, 333 W. Limited Ave.

“He was a husband, a father of two young boys — ages 2 and 4 — and a third baby boy on the way,” according to the Riverside County Deputy Sheriff Relief Foundation, which initiated the online fundraiser. “Darnell loved and served Jesus with his church community joyfully. He will be remembered as a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin, a son-in-law, a brother-in-law and a loyal friend.”

Lake Elsinore Mayor Natasha Johnson praised Calhoun for making “the ultimate sacrifice while serving and protecting our community.”

The Riverside Sheriffs’ Association described Calhoun’s death as the loss of “another hero way too early in life.”

“Our heart aches for the family, friends and fellow deputies of Darnell Calhoun, and we ask everyone to take a moment to remember his selfless service,” said the RSA, which represents the nearly 4,000 line deputies countywide.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said “Calhoun represented the best of the California spirit — protecting and serving the public with valor.”

Law enforcement agencies from throughout Southern California also offered condolences.

“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Deputy Darnell Calhoun, an SDPD officer until 2022,” the San Diego Police Department said via Twitter Friday night. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues in SDPD and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.”

The California Highway Patrol posted a message saying, “We are forever grateful for the sacrifices made by our officers to keep our communities safe.”

Bianco recalled Friday the occasion in February 2022 when Calhoun was sworn in.

“I hugged his mother and told her I would take care of him,” the sheriff said. “We are sadly in a time when some people have no respect for other people and no respect for law enforcement. Those people are willing to engage in gunfights with law enforcement over minor things.”

The backup deputy who shot Navarro has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the sheriff’s Force Investigations Detail.

The deputy’s name has not been released.

City News Services contributed to this article.

A San Diego man suspected of supplying two Riverside County residents with lethal doses of fentanyl was arrested this week on suspicion of murder.

Christopher Michael Koppa, 36, was arrested Monday and booked into a Riverside County jail in connection with the 2018 deaths of two men who died a few weeks apart, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Koppa, who was on probation for “several narcotic offenses” at the time of his arrest, was in custody on $1 million bail, according to Riverside County jail records.

The first death occurred on the night of Aug. 25, 2018, in the 22000 block of Hoofbeat Way in Canyon Lake, where deputies found 30-year-old Devahn Reed deceased, according to the sheriff’s department.

The second alleged fentanyl-related death happened on Sept. 11, 2018, when 34-year-old Patrick Schwab was found dead in the 31000 block of Cedarhill Lane in Lake Elsinore.

The specific circumstances behind each fatality, and how the men acquired the fentanyl, allegedly from the suspect, were not disclosed.

–City News Service

One person was gunned down and two others wounded in an attack within Temecula’s Old Town district, authorities said Monday.

The shooting happened Sunday night in the 28600 block of Old Town Front Street near Sixth Street, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

“We are investigating an assault with a deadly weapon,” the agency said in a social media post. “Two people were taken to a hospital, and one (was found) deceased at the scene.”

There was no word on what might have triggered the attack.

One of the hospitalized parties was in serious condition, but the others’ injuries were non-life-threatening, according to officials.

None of the victims were identified by law enforcement. No details were immediately released on a possible suspect.

Additional information was expected to be made available late Monday afternoon, according to the sheriff’s department.

City News Service contributed to this article.

Authorities on Thursday identified two women killed when an Amazon Prime delivery truck slammed into a Riverside County sheriff’s vehicle at the scene of a collision in Jurupa Valley.

Ailene Beazley, 86, of Valley Center, and Monica Lopez, 35, of Riverside, died Saturday evening at the intersection of Van Buren Boulevard and 56th Street.

The crash also injured two sheriff’s personnel and the Amazon driver, according to the California Highway Patrol, which is handling the investigation at the request of the sheriff’s department.

Juan Quintero of the CHP said that at about 5:50 p.m. Saturday, Beazley and Lopez were involved in a non-injury collision on southbound Van Buren at 56th.

Because it was an accident and did not involve any suspected criminal acts, a sheriff’s community service officer went to the scene with a volunteer.

They parked their marked sheriff’s SUV in the roadway for the safety of the two motorists, who stayed with their respective vehicles, Quintero said.

He said the SUV blocked the No. 1 lane on the southbound side of Van Buren, with overhead lights activated and flashing.

Roughly 40 minutes later, while the non-sworn officer and volunteer spoke with the motorists, an Amazon Prime delivery van, going an unknown speed, entered the intersection via southbound Van Buren. It plowed into the sheriff’s vehicle, according to Quintero.

“The preliminary investigation revealed that the force of the collision pushed the patrol vehicle in a southerly direction and struck the four pedestrians,” the CHP spokesman said.

Beazley and Lopez died on impact, he said. The CSO and volunteer each suffered major injuries, and the Amazon driver suffered minor injuries, according to Quintero.

“Drugs or alcohol impairment are not believed to be factors in the collision,” he said.

Quintero said the three injured parties were taken to Riverside Community Hospital for treatment. They are expected to recover, he said.

The investigation is ongoing. No arrests have been made.

An Amazon statement released to City News Service reads: “We’re deeply saddened by this terrible accident, and our thoughts and sympathies are with those involved and their loved ones during this difficult time. We are working closely with law enforcement as they investigate.”

A Silver Alert was issued for San Diego County and five other counties for a 66-year-old man, who suffers from a medical condition and went missing in Riverside Wednesday afternoon.

Jimmie Johnson was last seen about 5 p.m. near Arlington Avenue and Tyler Street, according to the California Highway Patrol, which issued the alert on behalf of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Johnson may be wearing a dark blue shirt with beige and burgundy stripes, red pajama bottoms, brown slippers and a black hat, the CHP reported.

Johnson, who may become disoriented, is described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall, 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, according to the CHP.

Silver Alerts were also issued Wednesday evening in Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Imperial counties.

Authorities circulated a photo of Johnson and urged anyone who sees him to call 9-1-1.

The Silver Alert program was established to issue and coordinate alerts involving the unexplained or suspicious disappearance of elderly, developmentally disabled and cognitively impaired individuals, according to the CHP.

— City News Service