A carjacker who was shot during a confrontation with Riverside County sheriff’s deputies and other law enforcement officers after a chase in Hemet pleaded guilty Wednesday to carjacking and another offense and was immediately sentenced to 13 years in state prison.
Edgar Alejandro Solis, 36, of Hemet admitted the felony count and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a firearm in the commission of a felony under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In exchange for his admissions, prosecutors dropped seven related felony and misdemeanor charges.
Superior Court Judge Mark Singerton certified the terms of the plea deal and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Edward Soto, on the afternoon of March 2, Gang Task Force investigators were searching for Solis, who had outstanding felony warrants for carjacking, robbery and transportation of drugs for sale.
Soto said that when deputies spotted the convicted felon sitting in a car in the 600 block of North Taschner Drive, they attempted to make contact with him.
“The suspect drove away a short distance, abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot,” Soto said. “Deputies and (other) officers chased the armed suspect through several yards and onto a property (in the 600 block of) Hillmer Drive. Once on the property, a deputy-involved shooting occurred.”
Details regarding what specifically prompted the shooting were not provided. Soto said California Highway Patrol officers were with deputies and also drew their weapons.
No law enforcement officers were injured.
Solis was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley, where he was treated for a non-life-threatening wound, after which he was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for the warrants.
The deputies and officers involved in the shooting were placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the sheriff’s Force Investigations Detail, supervised by the District Attorney’s Office, according to Soto.
There were no known repercussions stemming from the incident.
According to court records, in Riverside County, Solis has prior convictions for possession of controlled substances and being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition.