Menifee Man Charged With Attempted Auto Theft

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A Menifee man was arrested for attempted auto theft, felony evading and parole violation Thursday after being identified as the suspect in a police chase from Murrieta earlier in the day, Murrieta Police authorities said today.

Jeremy Phillips, 38, of the Sun City community in Menifee was arrested after investigators identified him via the license plate of the vehicle that led officers in pursuit from Murrieta into Menifee early Thursday morning. A records check revealed that Phillips was on parole for robbery and had a criminal history of auto theft, robbery, felony evading, weapons and narcotics violations, police said.

The incident began at 12:20 a.m. Thursday when a Murrieta Police officer patrolling the area of Bladen Avenue and California Oaks Road noticed a vehicle parked in the middle of the street with the doors open. He observed two males standing near the vehicle, apparently tampering with a truck parked at the curb. When the officer approached, the suspects fled in their vehicle.

Officers pursued the suspect north on Interstate 215 and the chase continued in Menifee. According to police, the chase was discontinued for safety reasons because the suspect was running red lights and driving on the wrong side of the road. He was contacted and taken into custody later in the day and booked into Southwest Detention Center.