Man Arrested on I-215 Released Pending Court Date

The suspect vehicle remained near the center divider on southbound Interstate 215 at Ethanac Road after a bomb squad searched it for explosives Sunday morning. Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon

A man who forced the closure of Interstate 215 near Menifee for nearly five hours by walking the center divider with a rifle Sunday spent less than a day in jail before being released.

The suspect, identified as Antonio Ceasar Lopez in jail records, was arrested about 6 a.m. after officers took him into custody near the Ethanac Road exit. A rifle was recovered at the scene. Lopez was booked at Southwest Detention Center at 2 p.m. on $25,000 bail. He was released a short time later pending a Sept. 16 court date.

Lopez, 27, faces multiple charges, including possession of a deadly weapon with intent to commit assault and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Interstate 215 was shut down from McCall Boulevard to Highway 74 until 11 a.m. Sunday after the California Highway Patrol received reports of an armed man near the center divider, authorities said.

The incident was first reported at 5:40 a.m., according to a CHP news release. Multiple motorists reported a man walking along the center divider, pointing a rifle at them just north of McCall Boulevard in Menifee.

CHP officers responded and the suspect was taken into custody without incident. A rifle was found at the location where he attempted to hide from officers. The suspect told officers there was something dangerous in his vehicle, which was parked at the center divider of southbound 215 just north of Ethanac Road.

A perimeter was established as the freeway was shut down, causing long delays for many motorists. Northbound traffic was diverted at Ethanac and southbound traffic at Highway 74. As a precaution, a Sheriff's bomb squad was called in to inspect the vehicle, which was cleared at 11 a.m., when the freeway was re-opened.