CA - Driver Accused of Deliberately Hitting Motorcycle

OFF THE WIRE
Brandon Valdes was arrested reportedly and booked into the Southwest Detention Center – not far from the crash scene – on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
By Mirna Alfonso
A motorcycle rider and his passenger were hospitalized today with serious injuries following a crash in which a motorist allegedly ran the bike off the road in an apparent road rage incident, right in front of police in Temecula, officials said.

Brandon Vald was arrested and booked into the Southwest Detention Center – not far from the crash scene – on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon but there was no record on him at the County Jail today.

Temecula police were running a speed monitoring operation at Nicolas Road, at Via Venecia, about 5:15 p.m. Friday, when they spotted three motorcycles heading East on Nicolas Road, sheriff’s Sgt. Mark Leggett said.

Deputies then saw a gray 2007 Saturn Vu drive up fast behind the motorcycles, swerve into the lane in which the bikes were traveling and strike one of them, Leggett said.

Officers immediately investigated and determined that the motorist and the motorcyclists had engaged in some kind of road rage incident at The Promenade and that the Vu driver had followed the riders to attack, Leggett said.

The riders, a man and a woman, were both taken to an area hospital for treatment of serious injures and Valdes was taken into custody, the sergeant said.

Anyone with information was asked to contact investigators at 951-696-3000.

from: http://temecula.patch.com/articles/cops-allegedly-spot-motorist-deliberately-strike-motorbike