Accident in Murrieta
On Tuesday, information was released about a multi-vehicle accident that caused the closure of a road at the intersection of Jackson Avenue and Nutmeg Street in Murrieta, leaving eight people hospitalized.
According to the police, the crash was caused by a driver who was leading a chase in a stolen vehicle.
The incident began at 10:50 a.m. when Murrieta police officers spotted a stolen vehicle being driven near the intersection of Juniper Street and Jefferson Avenue.
Officers attempted to stop the driver several times, but he escaped each time, according to the Murrieta Police Department.
A witness said the vehicle was a white Acura Integra.
"The pursuit continued on city streets, ending when the suspect vehicle ran a red light at the intersection of Nutmeg Street and Jackson Avenue and collided with three other vehicles," according to the police department.
The driver of the stolen vehicle and his passenger, along with six other people inside the other vehicles involved in the crash, were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
The driver, 31-year-old Ricardo Avila Perez, of Perris, was arrested on suspicion of evading an officer and causing injury, violating the terms of his post-community release supervision, possession of methamphetamine for sale, and other pending charges, according to Murrieta police.
The intersection was closed for several hours.
The California Highway Patrol assumed the investigation of the accident.
Anyone with information about the incident who has not been contacted by a Murrieta police officer or investigators is asked to contact Traffic Bureau Sergeant Steve Whiddon at 951-461-6323 or
swhiddon@murrietaca.gov.
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