A Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy suffered major injuries on the morning of September 9, 2026, after a driver allegedly struck him during a traffic stop on Winchester Road near Murrieta Hot Springs Road in Murrieta and then fled the scene. The deputy was standing outside his patrol vehicle when a northbound Toyota Tundra allegedly sideswiped the patrol car and hit him, according to authorities. The driver kept going but was stopped by deputies about a block away and was later arrested by the California Highway Patrol on suspicion of felony hit-and-run causing injury. The deputy was rushed to Inland Valley Hospital and, days later, was reported to be in stable condition and recovering.
According to MyNewsLA, the driver was identified as 68-year-old Gregory Lilly of Winchester, who was arrested at the scene and is scheduled to appear in court on October 23 at the Murrieta Southwest Justice Center. Investigators said they believe Lilly may have been under the influence of a drug at the time of the crash, though the CHP said the cause remains under investigation. KESQ reported that Sgt. Robert Martinez of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said the deputy had stable vital signs when he was taken to the hospital. The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash.
