A convicted felon who shot at Hemet police and California Highway Patrol officers during a seven-mile chase was bound for state prison Monday to serve a sentence of 50 years to life behind bars after pleading guilty to felony charges.
Jonathan Kyler Nunn, 29, of Idyllwild on Friday admitted two counts of attempted murder of a peace officer and a sentence-enhancing gun use allegation under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In exchange for his admissions, prosecutors dropped four related charges.
During a hearing at the Banning Justice Center, Superior Court Judge Dwight Moore certified the terms of the plea deal and imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.
According to Hemet police Lt. Nathan Miller, an officer patrolling the area of Domenigoni Parkway and Sanderson Avenue on the afternoon of Oct. 2, 2020, spotted Nunn at the wheel of a Toyota Solara and recognized him as a suspect in a non-injury shooting a week earlier.
The patrolman signaled the defendant to stop, but he sped away westbound on Domenigoni. As Nunn approached the intersection of Domenigoni and Highway 79 just south of Winchester, he fired several shots at the lawman.
“The officer’s police car was struck by gunfire, but the officer was not hit or injured,” Miller said.
The pursuit turned north on 79, where Nunn shot at a California Highway Patrol officer who was stopped along the side of the four-lane corridor, not involved in the chase. The officer was not struck, but a bullet was later discovered in the patrol car.
“Neither the Hemet police officer nor the California Highway Patrol officer returned fire at the suspect,” Miller said.
Officers continued to trail Nunn, but a sheriff’s helicopter crew took the lead, tracking him as he turned west again, this time onto Highway 74, Miller said.
“The suspect fired several more times at pursuing officers while traveling Highway 74,” Miller said.
As he approached Juniper Flats Road in Homeland, Nunn slowed down and ultimately came to a stop, exiting the Toyota, tossing his handgun onto the ground and surrendering without further incident, according to Miller.
The police spokesman said a distraught woman, apparently Nunn’s girlfriend, also emerged from the Toyota and was detained, but she was released a short time later.
A Hemet police unit racing to the location was involved in a collision with a Toyota Camry at the 74 and Warren Road, but no one was hurt.
Authorities did not release details regarding the prior shooting in which Nunn was implicated.
Court records show he had a prior conviction for making criminal threats.