19-Year-Old Suspected of Shooting in Officers Direction in Riverside Arrested

RIVERSIDE (CNS) – A 19-year-old suspected of ramming his vehicle into government property and shooting a firearm in the direction of law enforcement officers while driving was behind bars Monday.

Two officers from the Riverside Police Department’s Park and Neighborhood Specialist Unit patrolled the Bryant Park area around 9:30 a.m. March 10, when they encountered a vehicle driving recklessly to meet up with another vehicle inside a parking lot, according to Officer Ryan J. Railsback, the department’s public information officer.

Officers witnessed a brief interaction between the two vehicles. The drivers drove away once they noticed the police officers, Railsback said.

As the two parties were leaving the parking lot, one vehicle accelerated toward the police vehicle, attempting to strike it, but was unsuccessful, Railsback said.

Officers began to drive away from the location for their safety when they heard several gunshots coming from the vehicle that almost rammed into them.  They called for assistance and several officers responded, including the Problem Oriented Policing Team, but the involved vehicles were not located after an extensive search, Railsback said.

The gunshots did not appear aimed toward the officers but surveillance video confirmed that the driver of one vehicle deliberately sped toward the officers and subsequently fired off a handgun, Railsback said.

On Thursday, authorities located Jean Marcos Jimenez, 19, presumed to be the primary suspect.

A search warrant led law enforcement officials to seize approximately nine ounces of suspected fentanyl, 120 ounces of marijuana, 19 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms, 320 packaged marijuana and psilocybin mushroom candy, ammunition, a large amount of cash, and a 9 mm handgun, Railsback said.

Jimenez was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for assault with a deadly weapon, negligent discharge of a firearm, possession of illegal narcotics and marijuana for the purpose of sales, weapons violations, intimidation of a witness, and the commission of a felony while out on bail.

Jimenez was once arrested for being in a sexual relationship with his 16-year-old girlfriend for several years, Railsback said. Additional charges were added for lewd and lascivious acts with a child and child endangerment.

Jimenez is being held on $350,000 bail.

Anyone with information regarding the arrest is encouraged to contact Problem Oriented Policing Officer Michael Smith at 951-826-8728. Anonymous callers can contact Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.t

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