Crime & Safety
Wildomar Police Chase Leads To Three Arrests
El Monte resident William Duffy, 37, along with Mary Bennet, 41, and Michelle Mills, 27, both from Lake Elsinore, were arrested after leading police on a chase through a Wildomar neighborhood.
A police chase in Wildomar that involved extra manpower, including a K-9 unit and a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department helicopter, has resulted in three arrests.
El Monte resident William Duffy, 37, along with Mary Bennet, 41, and Michelle Mills, 27, both from Lake Elsinore, were arrested after leading police on a chase through a Wildomar neighborhood.
The search for the three suspects began late Friday afternoon in the 32800 block of Sheila Lane after Wildomar Police received a call about a stolen Honda automobile.
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According to the first officer on the scene, a white male was spotted sitting in the driver’s seat of the stolen Honda. He fled on foot and began jumping fences into nearby residences in an effort to get away from the pursuing officer, according to the Wildomar Police Department report.
With the assistance of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department helicopter overhead, a ground search was conducted using several assisting units, including a K-9 unit.
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At 5:22 p.m., police found the suspect, who was identified as Duffy, hiding in a nearby field and arrested him.
Duffy was in possession of a cell phone at the time of his arrest. A text message was displayed on the phone that showed he was trying to direct an accomplice to pick him up and help him escape, according to the police report.
An officer on the scene continued to send text messages to the accomplice, which helped police locate two females in a silver Dodge Caravan. The van was stopped and Bennet and Mills were arrested.
Duffy was booked for possession of stolen property and a parole violation. Bennet and Mills were booked for accessory to a crime, conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance and felony warrants.
Anyone with further information about this incident, or any other criminal activity in Wildomar, is encouraged to contact the Wildomar Police Department at 951-245-3300 or after hours and on weekends at 951-776-1099.
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