Pursuit, 3-Car Crash Forces Police to Close Murrieta Hot Springs Road

This article was originally posted at 8 p.m. Oct. 30 and updated at 10:20 p.m. to include information about the location of the crash and number of people injured.

Traffic was at a standstill near the area of Murrieta Hot Springs and Margarita roads Wednesday night after a suspect being pursued by sheriff's deputies crashed near the intersection, authorities said.

Riverside County Sheriff's Sgt. Lisa McConnell said members of the sheriff's Special Enforcement Team began a vehicle pursuit of the suspect at about 4:58 p.m. near Torrey Pines and Sugar Pine Way.

Less than two minutes later, the chase on Margarita Road ended in a crash near Murrieta Hot Springs Road, McConnell said.

The suspect was detained and then transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the crash, she said.

Murrieta police Sgt. Spencer Parker confirmed that at 4:59 p.m., a man traveling westbound on Murrieta Hot Springs disregarded the red light at West Via Princesa. This resulted in a three-vehicle collision that sent three people to local hospitals with injuries, Parker said.

The incident forced the closure of Murrieta Hot Springs in both directions, Murrieta police Sgt. Daryl Underwood said.

"We had to reroute traffic," said Underwood, who could not comment further because he did not have all the details.

"It is still under investigation by Murrieta PD and the Sheriff's Department," Underwood said.

A Murrieta Patch reader said they were stuck in traffic at Date Street and Margarita Road for nearly an hour. Their daughter was stuck on Murrieta Hot Springs Road near Gold's Gym, but she decided to turn around, the person said in an email to Patch.

As of about 7:15 p.m., police sounded as if they were reopening the roadway.

This is a developing story. Patch will post more information as it becomes available.