Police Standoff In Remote Area Near Lake Elsinore Ends In Arrests

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A San Diego pair was behind bars Tuesday in Riverside County on suspicion of threatening people in a remote area near Lake Elsinore and then refusing to comply with law enforcement, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The investigation into Kevin David Hofseth, 37, of Escondido, and Lindsay Christine Salomone, 35, of San Diego began around 1:06 p.m. Monday when deputies were called to El Cariso Trail, off the Ortega Highway, west of Lake Elsinore city limits. The remote area is popular with hikers and mountain bikers.

Two people using the trail spotted a motorist whose vehicle and trailer appeared to be stuck and blocking the road. The two passersby tried to help, but the motorist — Hofseth — "made threatening comments while brandishing a rifle in their direction," according to the sheriff's department.

The passersby called police and the sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau responded, the department reported.

Rather than cooperate with law enforcement, however, Hofseth, who was accompanied by Salomone, holed up and a lengthy police standoff ensued, according to the sheriff's department.

The duo was eventually arrested more than four hours later, jail records show.

Hofseth was booked into Murrieta's Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of brandishing a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, threatening a peace officer, harming an elderly adult, and distribution of a controlled substance — all felonies. He was also booked on misdemeanor charges of possessing drug paraphernalia and obstructing a peace officer. He was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, jail records show.

Salomone was booked into Riverside's Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of felony distribution of a controlled substance and misdemeanor charges of possessing drug paraphernalia and obstructing a peace officer. She was also being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, according to jail records.