Convicted Felon Who Crashed Into Patrol Car Gets 3 Years Prison: Court

MORENO VALLEY, CA — A convicted felon who fled from sheriff's deputies when they tried to pull him over for road stunts in Moreno Valley and crashed into a backup patrol unit was sentenced Thursday to three years in state prison.

Ramiro Jimenez Benitez, 24, of Moreno Valley pleaded guilty in May to felony evading, resisting arrest and driving under the influence as part of a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. In exchange for his admissions, prosecutors dropped two related charges against Benitez.

During a hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice Thursday, Superior Court Judge Mark Johnson certified the terms of the plea bargain and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.

According to sheriff's Sgt. Chad Craig, shortly after midnight on May 10, 2022, a patrol unit was eastbound on Alessandro Boulevard when two deputies spotted the defendant engaging in "burn-outs," or tire-screeching rings, at Alessandro and Lasselle Avenue.

"The deputies activated their vehicle's emergency lights to conduct an enforcement stop on the Nissan coupe for reckless driving," Craig said at the time. "The (driver) ignored the deputies and continued doing several additional circles in the intersection."

Moments later, Benitez floored it, fleeing the location and driving into a residential area, with the patrol car in pursuit, the sergeant said.

He said that as the patrol unit closed in on the defendant's vehicle, Benitez made a U-turn, cut his headlights and "drove straight toward" his pursuers.

"The deputies were forced to swerve to avoid being struck head-on by the Nissan," Craig said.

Additional patrol cars were summoned, and one was going through the intersection of Lasselle and Bay Avenue on a green light when Benitez plowed through the same intersection against a red traffic signal, at which point his Nissan collided with the sheriff's vehicle, according to Craig.

"The suspect abandoned his vehicle, then fled the scene on foot," he said. "He was located in a nearby backyard."

Benitez, who wasn't injured, was taken into custody without further incident.

Craig said the two deputies in the patrol unit that the defendant hit suffered minor injuries. The pair, whose identities weren't released, did not require hospitalization.

According to court records, Benitez has prior convictions for possession of controlled substances for sale and illegal possession of a firearm.

Craig said the illegal street maneuvers that the defendant performed, also known as a "side show," were representative of a growing number of illicit stunts that pose a threat to public safety throughout the Inland Empire.

"Taking over streets, destroying intersections and driving at excessive speeds is dangerous and a serious threat to other motorists, pedestrians and our community," the sergeant said. "No one should be killed or injured because someone wants to show off."