Charges filed against suspected truck thief who saw `zombies’
A 19-year-old man who allegedly stole a big rig truckin Temecula and crashed it into several cars during what he told authoritieswas an attempt to flee from “zombies” was charged today with assault with adeadly weapon and other felonies.
Jeremiah Clyde Hartline was arrested Saturday after allegedly causing achain crash that seriously injured two people on northbound Interstate 15.
Along with the assault count, Hartline is charged with auto theft,attempted auto theft, reckless driving, hit-and-run resulting in injury,driving without a license and multiple sentence-enhancing great bodily injuryallegations.
The defendant, who is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at theSouthwest Detention Center in Murrieta, was slated to make his initial courtappearance this afternoon at the Southwest Justice Center.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Hartline, a transient, waspicked up by a trucker — Daniel Martinez — in Tennessee en route to SanDiego, where the long-haul driver picked up a load of strawberries.
At around 6 p.m. on Saturday Martinez parked his 18-wheeler at the CHP’sRainbow Canyon commercial vehicle compliance station just off northbound I-15, according to the CHP. While Martinez was outside his tractor-trailer,making adjustments, Hartline began to have visions of zombies coming after him,said CHP Officer Nathan Baer.
He told City News Service the defendant was “altered,” possibly underthe influence of a controlled substance, and slid behind the wheel of thetruck, throwing it into gear and accelerating onto the freeway.
“Hartline thought that zombies were chasing him and clinging to thetruck,” Baer said. “Hartline swerved the truck side to side to shake thezombies off.”
Less than two miles into the wild ride, near the exit to TemeculaParkway, the defendant sideswiped a Toyota Tacoma pickup, causing that vehicleto collide with a Toyota 4Runner pickup, which hit a Mercedes-Benz, accordingto Baer.
The Tacoma overturned, while the Mercedes sedan and 4Runner spun intothe center divider, the officer said.
The big rig veered to the left, out of control, striking a Ford Taurusand a Honda Accord before jackknifing and blocking all four traffic lanes,according to the CHP.
Baer said Hartline leapt from the semi and ran to a van that had stoppednearby, climbing inside and allegedly attempting to steal that vehicle,according to the CHP. The driver detained the young man until officers arrived,according to the CHP.
Hartline was treated for minor injuries at Rancho Springs Medical Centerin Murrieta and transported to jail.
The occupants of the Tacoma — Kyle Schlosser of San Jacinto and SarahSmall of Hemet — were seriously injured in the crash and remain hospitalized,according to Baer.
He said the occupants of the other vehicles suffered minor to moderateinjuries, for which they also received treatment.
The freeway was closed for three hours for the cleanup and investigation.
Baer said the load of strawberries, bound for Maryland, could not besalvaged.
