Staff Reports

Eastvale/Norco – In the last month, several crimes took place in the City of Eastvale and Norco. The information listed below is courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Incident: (DUI) and Driver’s License Checkpoint

Update: The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Jurupa Valley Station/Eastvale, conducted a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) / Driver’s License checkpoint on Friday, March 17, 2023. The checkpoint was on Schleisman Rd., west of the intersection with Archibald Ave., between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. The checkpoint yielded the following results:

• 1346 vehicles screened
• 62 vehicles screened in secondary inspection
• 6 Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) conducted
• 1 arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol
• 0 arrested for driving under the influence of drugs
• 5 arrested for driving with a suspended driver’s license
• 11 citations issued for driving without a driver’s license
• 6 vehicles were stored or impounded
• 1 arrested for Felony warrants
• 2 citations issued for various traffic violations

Original Details: The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office/Jurupa Valley Station will hold a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, March 17, 2023 at an undisclosed location within the city limits.

Checkpoint locations are chosen based on a history of DUI crashes and arrests. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired.

During the checkpoint, deputies will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The safety of our community is and always will be our mission. Driving under the influence is dangerous and puts a further strain on critical resources.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving.

Always follow directions for use and read warning labels about “driving” or “operating heavy machinery,” which includes driving a vehicle. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.

If you plan on drinking or taking medications that may impact your ability to drive safely, plan on staying at home.
Drivers charged with DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9–1–1’.

Incident: DUI / Driver’s License Checkpoint Results

Location: Norco

Details: The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department/Norco Sheriff’s Sub-Station conducted a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) / Driver’s License checkpoint on Friday, March 3, 2023. The checkpoint was in the 1700 block of Hamner Avenue between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. During the checkpoint operation a total of 512 vehicles were screened resulting in the following:

• 3- driving under the influence arrests
• 5- driving under the influence investigations
• 9- citations for unlicensed drivers
• 3- citations for suspended license
• 5- vehicles were towed
• 1- arrested for a felony warrant

Incident: Multiple Theft Suspects Arrested in Enforcement Operation

Location: Eastvale

Details: On Thursday, February 23rd, 2023, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office – Eastvale Special Enforcement Team conducted an enforcement operation aimed at combating retail theft near the 12500 block of Limonite Avenue, in the city of Eastvale. The purpose of the operation was to identify and arrest retail theft offenders. Deputies partnered with local retailers and loss prevention staff during the operation, which resulted in the arrests of nine suspects for various felony and misdemeanor charges. Stolen property was recovered, and criminal offender(s) were booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center.

The following subjects were arrested during the operation:

• Nathan Labrecque, 22-year-old resident of San Bernardino
• Anthony Lathrop, 29-year-old resident of Rancho Cucamonga
• Jorge Diaz Cortes, 52-year-old resident of Riverside
• Julian Llamas, 63-year-old resident of Ontario
• Tamika Lewis, 40-year-old resident of Fontana
• Jeimy Merlo, 44-year-old resident of West Covina
• Trevor White, 22-year-old resident of Corona
• Thomas Crain, 27-year-old resident of Riverside
• Jeremy Richey, 52-year-old resident of Jurupa Valley

Anyone with information regarding the arrests associated with this operation is encouraged to contact Deputy Cosper at the Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station, at (951) 955–2600.

As a reminder, “Community Policing” involves partnerships between law enforcement and community members. Business owners and residents are encouraged to report criminal activity directly to law enforcement by calling Sheriff’s Dispatch at (951) 776–1099, or by calling 911 if the matter is an emergency. Criminal activity can also be reported through the We-Tip Crime Reporting Hotline, (909) 987–5005 or wetip.com.