After deputy killed in pursuit, suspect charged with murder in Victorville crash
A man suspected of killing a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy during a high-speed pursuit crash — less than six months after being released from prison after being convicted in another chase-related crash — was charged with murder Wednesday.
Deputy Hector Cuevas Jr., 36, was one of multiple deputies chasing Ryan Dwayne Turner Jr., 22, on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle in Victorville Monday morning, authorities said. Turner refused to pull over and led authorities on a chase that reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour as he ran at least four red lights, San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson said as he announced charges against the suspect during a news conference Wednesday.
Cuevas did not have his emergency lights or sirens on when he collided with an innocent driver at the intersection of Seneca and El Evado roads, something the other driver previously told CBS News Los Angeles and prosecutors confirmed Wednesday.
Turner had led deputies on the high-speed chase for more than nine minutes when the deadly crash happened, with Cuevas's patrol vehicle hitting the innocent driver's car before colliding with a light pole — an impact that left the patrol vehicle split in half.
Cuevas, a husband and father of two young children, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Suspect faces second-degree murder charge
While Anderson said the absence of emergency sirens is a relevant factor in the case, the prosecutor said "that doesn't impact who started the entire action, which is the person who we allege has stolen a car."
He said Turner bares legal responsibility for the collision, and the loss of life it caused, since he is accused of starting the chase which led to it.
"That, obviously, is going to have some impact," Anderson said of no emergency sirens being used. "But it still is a situation in which we allege that none of that would've been relevant, or would've occurred, if it hadn't been for Mr. Turner's actions in setting it all in motion."
Turner has been charged with second-degree murder after previously being arrested on suspicion of gross vehicle manslaughter while intoxicated. Anderson said more tests are being carried out to determine whether the crash was alcohol-related, and he said the DA's office filed a murder charge rather than a lesser charge, such as manslaughter, due to prior allegations and convictions against Turner.
"This is not the first time Mr. Turner has fled when he's been caught with a stolen car," Anderson said, saying Turner has been accused of at least two other auto thefts.
"That certainly factors into our idea that this is a murder case because of the reckless indifference to life — when you are aware of the risk that could occur. And we believe that he was," he said. "Murder charges are appropriate."
The "Watson Murder" rule is a legal precedent commonly used in DUI cases, with judges issuing a "Watson advisement" to a defendant convicted in a DUI case warning them they can be convicted of murder if they are convicted of another DUI offense which results in death. Prop 36, which passed last year, requires judges in California to issue a similar court admonishment in fentanyl-related cases.
Anderson said that legal precedent is being applied in Turner's case since the suspect was previously convicted in a pursuit-related case, which also led to a crash involving law enforcement.
He reached a plea deal with prosecutors in that case, which led to two out of three initial charges being dropped. He was released in October 2024 after serving eight months out of a 16-month sentence.
The morning of the deadly crash
The chase started at about 10:58 a.m. Monday when deputies spotted a reported stolen vehicle near Mojave Drive and Amargosa Road in Victorville, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Turner had refused to pull over and a pursuit ensued, which resulted in the crash that killed Cuevas, sheriff's officials said. The deputy was pronounced dead at the scene.
Marcelline Demyan, the driver whose vehicle collided with Cuevas' patrol vehicle, said she was making a left turn at a green arrow light when the crash happened — saying she didn't see the deputy coming since there were no emergency sirens.
"He didn't have the siren on, he didn't have the noise on — nothing," Demyan, 23, said. "Because if I seen him, I would've stopped because I know if it's emergency, we have to stop. But I didn't see him."
Demyan said Cuevas' patrol vehicle struck her front end and damaged of her driver's side, also leaving damage to the front end of his vehicle. She said she was left with injuries to her hand, leg and shoulder, which authorities described as not life-threatening.
She was treated at a hospital and later released.
Authorities later confirmed her account while noting that certain circumstances, and scientific evidence, remain under investigation.
Turner was arrested after he stopped near El Evado Road and Zuni Lane and ran from the scene before being taken into custody soon after, according to sheriff's officials. The area is about two miles from the site of the deadly crash.
Officers booked him into High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, evading a peace officer causing death or serious injury and possession of a stolen vehicle, inmate records show. Prosecutors later announced murder and other criminal charges against him.
A plea deal and an early release
Turner was convicted after authorities say he led authorities on another chase last year that led to a crash involving law enforcement. He led Rialto police officers on a high-speed pursuit on Jan. 29, 2024, reaching speeds of more than 90 mph as the chase wound through surface streets from Rialto to the city of San Bernardino, police said.
Upon reaching the intersection of North Meridian Ave and Foothill Boulevard in San Bernardino, the main officer in pursuit of Turner collided into another vehicle entering the intersection — a crash authorities say happened while officers had all their emergency lights and sirens on.
Less than a month later, on Feb. 22, 2024, Turner entered a plea deal which led to a 16-month prison sentence.
Police said he pled no contest to grand theft auto and prosecutors dropped previously filed charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and felony evading. While he was sentenced to 16 months, he only served eight months in prison before being released in October 2024 as part of California Penal Code § 4019, a statute enacted in 2011 that features reduced jail and prison sentences.
When asked Wednesday why prior charges were dropped, and a plea deal reached for Turner's last offense, Anderson told reporters at a news conference that he wasn't sure of the specific details. But the DA gave some general reasoning that could be at play.
"I don't have those particular cases in mind, in terms of understanding exactly what the procedure is," Anderson said. "When there's a number of current criminal cases that are stacking up against an individual, it's not uncommon that we decide on particular charges — particularly if it involves property where we wanna get restitution back for somebody."
"And then, maybe as a result of that, part of the plea deal is we dismiss other charges," he said. "That's very, very common. Whether that happened in this case — I don't know."
A husband, father and proud officer
"Our hearts are broken for the deputy's family as they process this tragedy. Furthermore, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department should not be preparing to bury one of their own," Rialto Police Chief Mark Kling said in a statement this week. "Ryan Turner's actions speak loudly that he has a habitual pattern of fleeing law enforcement because he fears no consequences."
Loved ones paid their respects to Cuevas — a six-year law enforcement veteran, husband and father of two young children — during a vigil Tuesday evening.
He has been remembered for his service as well as his work mentoring young football players in Rialto, where he attended Wilmer Amina Carter High School before going on to play college football.
Family members and fellow deputies continued gathering at a memorial at the crash site Wednesday morning as they remembered Cuevas' life.
"Putting on that uniform everyday was something that just brightened his day. That was something he loved," said his uncle, LJ Rivera.
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus told reporters Tuesday that Cuevas has been remembered fondly by his community and loved ones as law enforcement officials led a procession carrying his remains from the crash site to the San Bernardino County Coroner's office.
"Hector was described as a devout family man and by his law enforcement officers as a 'cop's cop,' who has the ability to go between dealing with the most hardcore gang member to turning around and being able to talk to a child and make sure that they felt safe," Dicus said.
