Mayhem On I-215: RSO Releases Chase Details Of Woman, 2 Young Children

MORENO VALLEY, CA — A woman who led a police chase — with kids in the car — across two Riverside County freeways was behind bars Wednesday, and a man who tried to help her escape was cited, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The alleged highway mayhem began around 12:10 p.m. Tuesday when deputies from the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station were called to the 23000 block of Sunnymead Boulevard about a female trespasser loitering in a business parking lot and refusing to leave, according to the sheriff's department.

When deputies got to the scene, the woman — identified as Adriana Sandoval, 26, of Riverside — was uncooperative. Rather than stick around to answer law enforcement questions, she sped away in a silver Chevrolet sedan with two young children in the backseat, nearly hitting a deputy on her way out, the department reported.

A police chase ensued as Sandoval drove west on state Route 60 and onto northbound Interstate 215, "striking multiple innocent vehicles in her path," according to the sheriff's department.

The chase ended on northbound I-215, just east of Blaine Street, in Riverside. But instead of surrendering, Sandoval barricaded herself in the Chevy as it sat on the freeway and she ignored law enforcement commands, the department reported.

While negotiations with Sandoval were ongoing, more chaos ensued. A driver, later identified as 24-year-old Johnathan Roldan of Riverside, began heading east in westbound I-215 traffic lanes "in an attempt to prevent the arrest of Sandoval," according to the sheriff's department.

Roldan was quickly apprehended. It's unclear what his relationship with Sandoval is.

After nearly 20 minutes of negotiations with Sandoval, she was pulled from the Chevy and arrested. The children were unharmed and taken into protective custody, the department reported.

The law enforcement investigation forced the closure of I-215 north, east of Blaine Street, for approximately 30 minutes.

No one was injured during the freeway havoc, the sheriff's department reported.

Sandoval was booked into Banning's Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon upon a peace officer, reckless evading, child endangerment and resisting a peace officer. She is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to jail records.

Roldan was cited and released on suspicion of obstructing an investigation, reckless driving and driving without a license — all misdemeanors — jail records show.

Anyone with additional information regarding the incident is asked to contact Deputy Ismael Bermudez of the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station: 951-486-6700.