Arson Suspect Arrested After Freeway Pursuit Through Murrieta

MURRIETA, CA — Murrieta police apprehended an arson suspect earlier this week after being led on a freeway pursuit that ended when the fleeing driver crashed into a center divider, police said.

At 5:22 p.m. on Monday, authorities responded to reports of a man seen igniting a brush fire near Los Alamos Road and Whitewood Road, according to the Murrieta Police Department.

After arriving, police saw a person fleeing toward a parked vehicle. The chase began when the suspect driver refused to stop when officers tried to pull him over. The suspect led officers northbound on Interstate 215 but the pursuit ended after the fleeing driver crashed into the center driver, disabling the car.

The suspect ran across freeway lanes and tried to run up an embankment but officers were able to catch up and arrest him, police said.

The department's arson investigator with Murrieta Fire and Rescue worked with Murrieta police to assess the crime.

The man was arrested on multiple charges and booked into the Riverside County Jail. No other information was immediately available. His identity was not released.