A 37-year-old man suspected of driving under the influence of drugs when he was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run collision in Temecula that left a juvenile in another vehicle dead was taken back into custody Friday.
According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to the intersection of Butterfield Stage Road and Channel Street on May 26 around 7:02 p.m. to reports regarding a severe traffic collision.
Investigators determined after a preliminary investigation that a vehicle traveling southbound on Butterfield Stage Road ran a red light as another motorist entered the intersection on a green light traveling westbound on Channel Street.
Sheriff’s officials stated that deputies had eventually located the suspect, Matthew Thomas Jackson, and arrested him on suspicion of hit-and-run and driving under the influence. He was later booked into the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center.
“The occupants of the other vehicle were transported to local area hospitals with moderate to serious injuries,” sheriff’s officials said in a statement.
On June 12, investigators received reports that a juvenile victim died from injuries sustained in the hit-and-run collision.
The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office filed additional charges against Jackson on Dec. 30 for suspicion of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence of drugs causing injury and reckless driving causing injuries.
According to sheriff’s officials, a warrant was issued for Jackson, and bail was set at $1 million.
Southwest Sheriff’s Station Traffic Team deputies, with assistance from the Robbery and Burglary Suppression Team personnel, were tasked with locating Jackson, who was out of custody at the time. He was ultimately located Friday in the 8000 block of Venice Boulevard, near La Cienega Boulevard, in Los Angeles’ Mid-City community and taken back into custody without incident and later booked into the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center.
The fatal hit-and-run collision remained under investigation Friday evening.
Anyone with additional information regarding the case was urged to call Southwest Station Corporal Downs at 951-696-3000 or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at 951-776-1099.