A man who led Temecula police on a manhunt Wednesday afternoon has been arrested.
Rudy Modesto Carrillo, 43, of Temecula is behind bars after being picked up a parole warrant that eventually led to him being booked on suspicion of attempted murder.
According to Sgt. K. McDonald of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, around 1 p.m. Wednesday a deputy on a motorcycle attempted to pull over a motorist driving a white GMC truck on Pechanga Parkway, but the driver sped away.
“The officer got back on his bike to attempt to stop the truck, but the truck made a U-turn, drove at the officer, and clipped the officer's motorcycle,” according to McDonald.
A second officer allegedly witnessed the incident and tried to provide assistant, but the truck driver swerved at him, the sergeant said.
“The second officer was forced to leave the roadway to avoid a head-on collision and ran into a road sign and fence. Neither officer was injured …,” the sergeant continued.
“The truck sped away northbound on Pechanga Parkway and was found a short time later abandoned in the roadway at Wolf Creek and Firestone Avenue in Temecula,” McDonald said.
A manhunt ensued and nearby Jackson Elementary School was placed on lockdown as a precaution.
Meanwhile, officers from the Murrieta Police Department were conducting an unrelated investigation in their city where they detained Carrillo on a parole warrant, the sergeant continued.
“During the course of that investigation, evidence was located that linked Carrillo to the assault on the two Temecula Police officers earlier in the afternoon,” he said.
According to jail records, bail has not been set for Carrillo, who was picked up in the 24100 block of Falconer Drive in Murrieta and is due in court Friday.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A booking photo of the suspect will be posted when it is released by the sheriff's department.
Two of our officers and many others could have been killed due to his attempt to avoid going to jail. WITH A VEHICLE/truck as his weapon and any other he might have had on him. Its a shame our Temecula PD/Sheriff didnt take a shot at him on his 2nd attempt of murdering, running over the first motorcycle officer. By the attempted running over of the 2nd officer the "wanted" criminal should have been shot to kill. That is 3 attempts of murdering them. Thank God both officers are ok and will be back up and on their bikes if they arent already. Parole Warrant, and now add on all these charges I hope the DA asks for a very very long sentence and the Jury or Judge be sure to hand it down in sentencing. Don't let him plea out and down.