Deputy Returned To Duty After Lake Elsinore Shooting

A deputy who shot a Lake Elsinore man on June 17 has returned to work.

“The deputy was returned to full duty,” said Sgt. Joe Borja of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. “His identity is not being released.”

The sergeant provided the information Thursday and said the date of the deputy’s return to duty was not being released.  

died June 19 at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar after being shot in the head by the deputy in the early morning hours of June 17.

Fernandez was driving a Toyota Tundra truck in Lake Elsinore and was pulled over for a vehicle code violation by the deputy. The report said Fernandez yielded, but then “rammed the police car and attempted to ram the officer with his vehicle, which caused the officer to fire his duty weapon at the suspect.”

The shooting occurred in the 16300 block of Clement Street near Lakeshore Drive at approximately 12:40 a.m., according to a Lake Elsinore Police Department report.

The truck, police say, was stolen.

Fernandez was placed on life support following the shooting. The decision to take him off the system was made by his mother, Maria Juarez-Munoz. Her son was brain dead after the shooting and never regained consciousness, she said. ( to read more about Maria Juarez-Munoz’s decision.)

Per sheriff’s department policy, the deputy involved in the shooting was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident.