Car Slams Into RivCo Sheriff's Station Overnight

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — The Riverside County Sheriff's Department Lake Elsinore Sheriff's Station abruptly closed Monday morning after a vehicle slammed into the station intentionally overnight, officials say.

Gary Dean Staggs, 44, of Wildomar, the vehicle's alleged driver, was later arrested on Lake Street in Lake Elsinore and booked on felony vandalism charges on suspicion of driving his car into the station's lobby. He was being held on $10,000 bail at the Southwest Detention Center, and was slated to appear in court on Wednesday at Murrieta's Southwest Justice Center.

Around 2:15 a.m., a car, believed to be driven by Staggs, had slammed into the station's lobby at 333 Limited Avenue in Lake Elsinore. Officers located the vehicle and identified the driver approximately three hours later.

The Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station’s lobby was temporarily closed due to the damage and is expected to reopen Tuesday," according to Sgt. Brad Foster. Patrol and station operations were not affected by the incident. Police services would remain unaffected through the night, and 911 and the non-emergency line 951-776-1099 remained functional.

This branch of the sheriff's department serves Canyon Lake, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, and the unincorporated cities of La Cresta, Lakeland Village, North Elsinore, Sedco, Tenaja, Temescal Valley, and West Elsinore.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Investigator Layos at 951–245–3000, or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Dispatch at 951–776–1099.