Felony charges are expected to be filed Wednesday against a 42-year-old motorist suspected of shooting and wounding another driver during a road rage confrontation on the Riverside (91) Freeway.
Maurice Orlando Stells Jr. of Moreno Valley was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Jail on Monday on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and reckless discharge of a firearm.
Stells is being held without bail.
His case was under review Tuesday by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. The suspect has no documented prior convictions in the county.
“The California Highway Patrol aggressively investigates all crimes occurring on the freeways and has highly trained investigators, who work tirelessly to locate and apprehend violent criminals,” CHP Capt. Erich Meeker said. “Acts such as these will not be tolerated and will be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
According to the CHP, on the night of Dec. 14, Stells was involved in an unspecified dispute with another driver along the westbound 91 near downtown Riverside.
Officer Javier Navarro said the suspect was at the wheel of a blue Chevrolet Camaro, traveling at an unconfirmed speed, and allegedly opened fire on the victim, whose identity was not disclosed, unleashing “an unknown number of rounds” before racing away.
The victim was struck by at least one bullet but managed to pull over safely and call for help. He was reportedly taken to a Riverside hospital and underwent surgery, from which he’s recovering.
Navarro said detectives soon developed leads pointing to Stells as the alleged perpetrator.
The suspect was summoned to the Riverside CHP office for an interview with investigators, culminating in his uneventful arrest Monday afternoon.
Free a real one