San Bernardino man faces murder charges in high-speed pursuit that killed a deputy
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- A man who led authorities on a high-speed chase that ended in a collision, killing a sheriff’s deputy, faces felony murder charges.
- Ryan Dwayne Turner Jr. had previously been arrested after a police pursuit in Rialto last year. He served eight months in jail.
A 22-year-old man who led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit that resulted in the death of a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy is facing felony charges of murder, evading a peace officer and grand theft auto, the district attorney announced Wednesday.
Ryan Dwayne Turner Jr., a resident of San Bernardino, was arrested this week after allegedly leading law enforcement on a nine-minute pursuit while driving in excess of 100 mph and running four red lights, according to San Bernardino County Dist. Atty. Jason Anderson. Turner was suspected of driving a stolen car.
A collision that resulted from the chase killed Sheriff’s Deputy Hector Cuevas Jr., who was one of several deputies pursuing Turner, according to the Sheriff’s Department. The crash occurred at 11:09 a.m. Monday at the intersection of Seneca and El Evado roads.
Turner fled the scene. Anderson said this is not the first time that Turner had fled the scene after being caught by law enforcement with a stolen car. Last year, Turner caused a law enforcement cruiser to collide into a citizen during a pursuit in Rialto, according to authorities. He served eight months after pleading no contest to grand theft auto in that case, according to ABC 7 News.
Deputy Timothy Corlew, assigned to the Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s station, died during an on-duty collision on Wednesday morning, according to Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
“That certainly factors into our idea that this is a murder case because of the reckless indifference to life,” Anderson said. “When you are aware of the risk that could occur, and we believe that he was, and obviously the driving in this particular case led to the death of an individual, murder charges are appropriate.”
The details of what caused the crash are still unknown. Department investigators are looking at skid marks and other evidence to put together a better picture of what happened, Sheriff Shannon Dicus said during a Tuesday news conference. One other driver was also involved in the accident, he said.
The other driver who collided with Cuevas, Marcellina Demyan, is recovering from her injuries, the San Bernardino Sun reported. Demyan told the Sun she didn’t hear the pursuing vehicles.
Demyan was making a left turn on a green arrow and said the sheriff’s vehicle did not turn on its emergency lights and siren.
The estranged husband of a woman gunned down outside San Bernardino eatery has been arrested with four other men, accused of plotting to kill her amid a long divorce.
Cuevas’ SUV appeared to be ripped in two at the scene of the crash, and a black sedan at the crash site had front-end damage with deployed airbags, KNBC-TV reported.
Cuevas is survived by his wife and two children.
“Hector is the type of law enforcement officer that we all want to be,” Dicus said. “He was a grand and great protector and a great father, and we will be suffering his loss and supporting his family for quite some time.”
Turner was to be arraigned in the Victorville Courthouse on Thursday.
Times staff writer Clara Harter contributed to this report.
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