Perris Man Suspected Of Car Theft, Pursuit Through Moreno Valley: Cops

MORENO VALLEY, CA — A 28-year-old man suspected of fleeing from sheriff's deputies in a stolen car, racing through Moreno Valley until the vehicle became disabled, then running and hiding in someone's house, was being held Thursday on $150,000 bail.

Johnny Isaac Zuniga of Perris was arrested and booked Wednesday into the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside on suspicion of felony evading, possession of a stolen vehicle, home invasion and hit-and-run resulting in property damage.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, patrol deputies traveling west on Sunnymead Boulevard, near Indian Avenue, spotted a car that had just been reported stolen out of Menifee.

"Deputies attempted a vehicle stop, but the driver failed to yield and a pursuit was initiated," according to a sheriff's statement.

The chase went southbound for roughly four miles, until the stolen car ran over a spike strip deployed by deputies, causing Zuniga to lose control and crash, sheriff's officials said.

The suspect bailed out of the car and ran toward the Campanilia Fortuna Estates, where he vanished from sight, investigators said.

Deputies set up a perimeter and deployed to conduct a sweep of all surrounding residential streets, and about three hours later, were alerted by "community members (who) advised Zuniga was hiding in their residence," the sheriff's department stated.

SWAT members went to the location and ordered the suspect to surrender, which he did without further incident.

No one was injured.

Background information on Zuniga was unavailable.