A convicted felon accused of fleeing from Murrieta police officers while carrying a gun and drugs, triggering two collisions before he was stopped, was charged Friday with evading arrest and other felonies.
Ryan Sergio Ballew, 25, of Oceanside was arrested Wednesday after the chase that ended near downtown Temecula.
Along with the evading count, he is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of controlled substances, resisting arrest and being in possession of burglary tools.
The ex-con was being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta and was slated to make his initial appearance Friday afternoon at the Southwest Justice Center.
According to Murrieta police Lt. Mark Reid, a patrolman witnessed the defendant commit a traffic violation and attempted to stop him on Harveston Way in neighboring Temecula about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday, but Ballew floored the sedan and entered heavy traffic in the area of Winchester and Ynez roads.
The defendant’s vehicle collided with two others before coming to a stop, at which point he bailed out of the car and ran behind a business at 40915 Winchester, where officers quickly chased him down and took him into custody without further incident, the lieutenant said.
None of the occupants of the cars Ballew struck were injured, nor was he, according to Reid.
The lieutenant said the vehicle that the probationer was driving had been stolen out of San Diego County, as well as several items found inside the sedan.
A loaded pistol and an undisclosed quantity of illegal drugs were also seized, Reid said.
According to court records, Ballew served time in state prison within the last five years, though the offenses weren’t specified.
–City News Service