A suspected kidnapping case came to an end in the Morongo Basin yesterday after Deputies pursued the suspect through Yucca Valley. According to Sheriff’s reports, an unnamed victim and her two children received a ride from Joel Valencia, 24, of Bloomington on Thursday, January 17. The victim asked Valencia to drive her to her residence in the city of Bloomington, but instead, Valencia reportedly drove the victim and her children eastbound on the I-10 freeway against her will. Two Riverside County Animal Service officers noticed the victim waving to them in distress from the suspect’s vehicle on the I-10 freeway. The officers reported the vehicle and followed it from a safe distance until Deputies could respond.
Deputies eventually located Valencia’s vehicle in the town of Yucca Valley and attempted a traffic stop. Valencia failed to yield to the deputies’ lights and sirens and led deputies on a short pursuit. Valencia finally stopped his vehicle near Deer Trail and Onaga Trail in Yucca Valley and was taken into custody without incident. Joel Valencia was arrested for investigation of kidnapping, child endangerment, and failure to yield, and booked into the West Valley Detention Center with his bail set at $250,000. The victim and her children were unharmed during the incident.
