Crime & Safety
Cherry Valley Crash Sparks Fire Following Beaumont Police Chase
UPDATED: Police say one person is in custody in connection to the incident, while another remains at large.
CHERRY VALLEY, CA — A woman was detained and a man was sought Wednesday night following a police chase from Beaumont into Cherry Valley that ended in a fiery crash, the Beaumont Police Department reports.
The related investigation led authorities from the Beaumont area into Cherry Valley on Wednesday evening, culminating in an hours-long multi-agency search near Bogart Park. The incident began to unfold around 6 p.m. and police confirmed to Patch they were wrapping up around 8 p.m.
Police said it all started when someone heard a woman screaming "call 911" in the the 700 block of Cedar View Drive.
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"The witness then saw a white Ford Mustang leaving the location at a high rate of speed," Beaumont police said in a press release Wednesday night. "Officers responded to the area and located a vehicle matching the description and attempted to conduct an investigative stop on the vehicle. The driver failed to yield and led officers on a pursuit into Cherry Valley, an unincorporated area of Riverside County."
The driver then headed up Winesap Avenue, near the back entrance to Bogart Park.
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Witnesses say they heard a crash in the area, and spotted two people running from a vehicle. Police say the duo had driven through a field and collided with a fence on private property in the area of Johnathan Avenue and Bridge Street.
The crash sparked a small brush fire, sending a small smoke plume into the area for a short time.
"Officers from the Beaumont Police Department with the assistance of Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Helicopter set up a perimeter and began to search for the subjects. CalFire provided assistance with the brush fire," police said.
A female passenger was eventually found hiding in an outbuilding on private property, police said. She was detained and it wasn't immediately clear if she was to be arrested.
As of late Wednesday night, police said the male driver remained outstanding.
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