A 32-year-old unlicensed driver who allegedly fled from Hemet police in a stolen car and tried to hit a patrolman was charged Thursday with assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon and other felonies.
Rickie Shane Inskeep of Hemet was arrested Tuesday following the 12-mile chase that started near downtown Hemet and ended in French Valley.
Along with the assault count, Inskeep is charged with felony evading, eluding a law enforcement officer, receiving a stolen vehicle and being an unlicensed operator of a motor vehicle.
He’s being held in lieu of $100,000 bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta and is slated to make his initial court appearance Friday afternoon at Banning Justice Center.
According to Hemet police Lt. Nathan Miller, patrol officers were in the area of Johnston and Lyon avenues about 9:10 a.m. Tuesday when they spotted a silver Honda sedan that had been reported stolen. They began tailing the car, at which point the driver, Inskeep, floored it, heading westbound, Miller alleged.
“Inskeep led the pursuing officers to the area of Kirby Avenue and Garland Way, where another officer was setting up a spike strip,” the lieutenant said. “When the suspect saw the officer with a spike strip on the side of the road, he intentionally turned the speeding Honda toward the officer.”
The patrolman jumped out of the way and was not injured.
Miller alleged that Inskeep continued traveling west at nearly 100 mph, periodically driving on the wrong side of the road in a vain attempt to shake officers.
Near the intersection of Washington Street and Winchester Road in French Valley, the defendant stopped the car and surrendered without further incident, according to Miller.
No motorists or pedestrians were harmed during the chase.
The defendant has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.
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