Man Steals Car, Escapes From CHP Officer

A search was continuing today for a man who allegedly pointed a gun at a California Highway Patrol officer, prompting him to fire multiple shots at the suspect, who made his getaway by commandeering a woman’s car.

The officer-involved shooting occurred around 6 p.m Tuesday in the area of San Juan Drive and Avenida Valencia in Homeland, a rural community just east of Perris, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

The CHP officer, a 24-year law enforcement veteran whose name was withheld, attempted to stop the driver of a white pickup truck for a moving violation, but the man refused to pull over, sheriff’s officials said.

A chase ensued, leading to the Avenida Valencia location, where the suspect jumped out of the pickup and allegedly leveled a pistol at the officer, who fired multiple shots, one or two of which struck a mobile home, authorities said.

Leaving his female passenger behind, the suspect ran into a residence on nearby Avenida Madrid and demanded that the occupant give him the keys to her tan Honda Civic parked outside, according to sheriff’s officials.

She complied, and the suspect left in the car, heading down a dirt road just as sheriff’s deputies were arriving to help.

The suspect — identified only as a 41-year-old Riverside County man — remains at large.

The officer, who works out of the CHP’s Temecula office, was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation of the shooting.

Homeland is 64 miles west of Palm Desert.