Crime & Safety
Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Hit-And-Run Crash Injuring Deputy In Murrieta
The deputy suffered major injuries and was rushed to Inland Valley Hospital.
MURRIETA, CA — Authorities Saturday continued investigating a hit-and-run, vehicle versus pedestrian crash involving a deputy in Murrieta.
The crash occurred around 9 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Winchester and Murrieta Hot Springs roads, according to the California Highway Patrol.
At the time of the crash, a Riverside County Sheriff's deputy was assisting other deputies with a traffic stop on northbound Winchester Road, just north of Murrieta Hot Springs Road, when a Toyota Tundra, traveling northbound on Winchester Road allegedly sideswiped the sheriff's patrol vehicle and struck a deputy.
The driver of the Toyota allegedly continued driving northbound after the crash, and was stopped by deputies approximately one block from the scene. He was identified as 68-year-old Gregory Lilly of Winchester.
The deputy suffered major injuries and was rushed to Inland Valley Hospital. As of Saturday, the deputy was in stable condition and still recovering from his injuries, according to Sergeant Martinez of the sheriff's department.
CHP officers assumed the investigation, and Lilly was arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run causing injury, but has since been released.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation, but investigators believe Lilly was driving under the influence of a drug. Lilly was expected to appear in court on Oct. 23 at the Murrieta Southwest Justice Center.
— City News Service
