Police, Sheriff Locate Teen Who Escaped From Hospital

A teen boy who police say escaped from officers in Murrieta Tuesday causing a man hunt near Rancho Springs Hospital was found Wednesday morning.

Sheriff's deputies found the boy sleeping at residence on Corte Cabrera in Temecula. He was taken in custody at 8:05 a.m. without incident, and booked on additional charges of providing false information to a police officer and escape.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The suspect had broken loose from officers at Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta was found in possession of ecstacy earlier Tuesday near Temecula Valley High School, sheriff's officials said.

A school resource officer recognized him as an expelled student who had a warrant out for his arrest, said Deputy Herlinda Valenzuela.

He was suspected of being under the influence of drugs and alcohol, which is why officers took him to the hospital to be medically evaluated before placing him in custody.

While at the hospital, Valenzuela said the suspect and a Temecula Police deputy got in a scuffle, after which the suspect ran off. He was wearing the handcuffs, and was described at 6-foot-1, 151 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes, dressed in a black shirt, blue jeans and purple tennis shoes.

Law enforcement with both the sheriff's department and the Murrieta Police Department conducted a man hunt via helicopter and ground patrol for the suspect, but were unable to locate him, Valenzuela said.

The search was centered between the hospital on Hancock Avenue north to the Las Brisas area and began about 4:05 p.m. until being called off at 6:20 p.m.  A security officer at Stater Bros. said the suspect was seen running through the Stater Bros. parking lot. Some reports also said the suspect was seen walking on a shoulder of Interstate 215.

Riverside County Sheriff's deputies utilized blood hounds and set up a perimeter, Valenzuela said.

The department received several reports of sightings, and set up a second perimeter about an hour later at the University of Phoenix, but were unable to locate him, Valenzuela said.

The suspect's name was not being released due to his age. Anyone with information is asked to call Deputy Alex Simmons at 951-696-3000.