A gang member who fired at police officers when they attempted to detain him near downtown Riverside, then hid out in a stranger’s home for hours before being flushed out and arrested, was sentenced Friday to 25 years in state prison.
Fidel Corona Jr., 21, pleaded guilty last month to attempted murder, along with sentence-enhancing gun and gang activity allegations, under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
In exchange for his admissions, prosecutors dropped charges of committing a crime while on bail and carrying a loaded firearm without a permit.
Superior Court Judge Emma Smith certified the terms of the plea deal and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.
Riverside police officers came into contact with the defendant about 9 p.m. on Dec. 11, 2016, in the area of Franklin and University avenues.
Corona, who was wanted on a misdemeanor warrant, took off running when the patrolmen approached. The East Side Riva gang member ignored the officers’ commands to stop and pulled a semiautomatic handgun, firing a single shot in their direction from roughly 40 yards away, according to prosecutors.
No one was hit.
The officers lost sight of the defendant near the intersection of Kansas Avenue and Loma Vista Street, a block from where the chase started. While a yard-to-yard search was being conducted, a resident in the 2000 block of West Linden Street called police to report that an intruder had gotten inside “and said the police were chasing him and he needed to hide,” according to Riverside police Officer Ryan Railsback.
The home was surrounded, and officers confirmed the suspect who shot at them was inside, according to Railsback, who said all other occupants of the residence evacuated safely.
A SWAT unit was summoned to the location, as well as detectives, who made multiple announcements urging Corona to surrender, without a response. A search warrant was obtained, and SWAT members forced their way into the residence shortly after 3 a.m. on Dec. 12. A police canine cornered the defendant in his hiding place, and he was taken into custody without any further trouble. His pistol was also found and seized, Railsback said.
No one was injured during the chase or ensuing standoff.
At the time of his arrest, Corona had a felony theft case pending, as well as a misdemeanor case for driving without a license. He had failed to appear at a hearing scheduled in the latter matter when the police confrontation occurred, records showed.
The theft count was included in the plea deal, while the misdemeanor case was dismissed.