Victorville, Calif. — A high-speed police chase ending in a tragic accident that killed a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy has led to severe charges for the 22-year-old driver involved. Authorities announced on Wednesday that Ryan Dwayne Turner Jr. faces accusations including murder and evading a police officer with reckless abandon, stemming from the fatal collision that occurred while he was allegedly driving a stolen vehicle.
On Monday, in an event marked by devastation for the local community, Deputy Hector Cuevas Jr., aged 36, was pursuing Turner when the intense chase came to a horrific end at the intersection of El Evado and Seneca roads. The legal charges lodged against Turner reflect the gravity of the sequence of events connected to the deputy’s death. They encapsulate felonies such as murder, evading arrest with disregard for safety, and grand theft auto.
Turner is currently detained at the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto, with court documents indicating he has been denied bail. The details of the accident are sparse, but according to reports, the deputy’s vehicle was involved in a collision with another car being driven by Marcellina Demyan, who was turning left under a green arrow signal. Demyan, recovering from injuries sustained during the incident, has mentioned not being aware of the chase unfolding as the emergency signals on Cuevas’s vehicle reportedly were not activated.
The impact was catastrophic; the deputy’s car struck a pole, leading to the vehicle being split in half, as recounted by Demyan. Deputy Cuevas was a six-year veteran of law enforcement, initially serving with the Upland Police Department before joining the sheriff’s office. He was a graduate of Carter High in Rialto and continued his education at Central State University in Ohio, actively engaging in community activities, including coaching a local freshman football team upon his return.
Cuevas’s premature death leaves behind a grieving family, including his wife, two children, and his parents, marking a profound loss for the community he served. Authorities are scheduled to hold a press conference this afternoon to provide further details about the charges against Turner and additional insights into the fatal collision.
This incident adds a sorrowful chapter to Turner’s history with law enforcement, following his release from jail five months prior, after a conviction involved in another police pursuit that led to an accident. The community continues to wrestle with the complexities surrounding high-speed police pursuits, balancing effective law enforcement with public safety concerns.