Two charged for roles in ‘wild’ Riverside police chase
The two people arrested after a pursuit that injured a Riverside police officer when his cruiser was rammed Thursday night have been identified.
Brittany N. Melton, 18, and Tresean J. Smith, 22, were in Montgomery County Jail on Friday, facing charges.
Melton is charged with assault on a peace officer, and Smith is charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, according to the jail.
K9 Officer Matt Jackson suffered minor injuries when the car Melton and Smith were in rammed the officer’s vehicle during a traffic stop, according to police.
Jackson received a tetanus shot and had a few cuts but went back to work, according to Riverside Major Matt Sturgeon.
Jackson attempted to stop the pair about 8:38 p.m., and a pursuit ensued. The pursuit ended in the arrest of the two just before 9, Sgt. James Vance said.
Vance said the pursuit began on Valencia Street, where the police vehicle was rammed, then proceeded to Beatrice Drive and continued north onto Harshman Road. From there, the suspect car turned onto Arrowrock Avenue and continued until it ended up in a yard off Hillstone Place.
“This is something you see on, like, ‘Live PD,’” said eyewitness Zachary Joseph, alluding to the TV series that incorporates dash cams along with fixed rig and hand-held cameras to show American police work on typical Friday and Saturday nights.
Joseph said he was driving home from dinner when his passenger told him to stop because she saw a speeding car as they approached Beatrice Drive and Harshman Road.
Melton was driving the speeding car, which was being followed closely by a Riverside police vehicle, Joseph said.
”We saw the cops get out and chase her into the back yard ... they had her at gunpoint, screaming at her to get on her back,” Joseph said.
The woman’s passenger, Smith, apparently ran into a wooded area behind the house, Zachary said. Residents pointed that out to police, who captured the man after a short foot chase.
“This was just a wild experience,” Joseph said. “It wasn’t really planned out very well. This is a little tiny two-ways-in, two-waysout neighborhood.”
”They tried to go through some back yards, through some fences and stuff,” Vance said.
Officials said police are likely to pursue additional charges.