Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Photo.Stephen Thomas, a 21-year-old resident of Hemet, was arrested on Monday and booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center for negligent discharge of a firearm and driving under the influence.
On July 27 at about 9:22 p.m., deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Southwest Station responded to a 911 call of shots fired near the intersection of 3rd Street and Old Town Front Street in Temecula.
When deputies arrived, a witness directed them to a vehicle attempting to flee the scene. Deputies stopped Thomas at the intersection of Mercedes Street and 6th Street and located a loaded handgun within the vehicle, the sheriff’s department said.
With the assistance of the Sheriff’s Aviation Unit, deputies checked the surrounding area for any possible victims or property damage as a result of the gunfire, none were located. Deputies were able to locate several spent shell casings in a dirt field near the area.
Thomas was arrested and booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center for negligent discharge of a firearm and driving under the influence. Jail records show that he was released on Tuesday on $5,000 bail. He is due in court in November.
This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Deputy Greenstein and Deputy Biondi at the Southwest Sheriff’s Station at 951-696-3000.
