Felon Booked Into County Jail After Police Chase, Murrieta Crash

MURRIETA, CA — A convicted felon who led a police chase in a stolen car and caused an injury crash at a Murrieta intersection earlier this month was booked into county jail Tuesday after being released from the hospital.

Ricardo Avila Perez, 31, of Perris was transferred by law enforcement to Riverside's Robert Presley Detention Center and booked on a half dozen felony charges following the crash that injured eight people.

According to the Murrieta Police Department, at 10:50 a.m. March 5 its officers spotted a stolen vehicle driven near the intersection of Juniper Street and Jefferson Avenue.

Officers repeatedly tried to pull the driver — Perez — over but he sped away each time, the department reported.

A witness said the vehicle was a white Acura Integra.

"The pursuit continued on city streets, subsequently ending when the suspect vehicle ran a red light at the intersection of Nutmeg Street and Jackson Avenue and collided with three other vehicles," according to the police department.

Perez and his female passenger, along with six other people inside the other crash vehicles, were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Perez was arrested at the hospital. Tuesday's jail records show he was booked on suspicion of evading an officer and causing injury, violating the terms of his postrelease community supervision, driving/taking a vehicle without the owner's consent, receiving a stolen vehicle, resisting arrest, DUI causing injury, and possession of methamphetamine for sale.

Court records show Perez has a long criminal history. His most recent felony conviction was Feb. 8, when he pleaded guilty to receiving a stolen vehicle.

Perez is being held on $500,000 bail. He is scheduled in court later this week.