Perris CA April 2 2018 Two men wanted in an early morning robbery of a Circle K in Perris earlier this week, during which a gunshot was fired at a security guard, were arrested Friday.
The robbery was reported shortly after midnight Wednesday at 3995 Perris Blvd., sheriff’s Sgt. Curt Harris said. Two men held the gas station’s store up at gunpoint and stole merchandise, Harris said.
A security guard happened to walk into the store, and the suspects fled and almost knocked him down. Sensing a crime had just occurred, the guard followed the suspects as they drove away, and suspect fired his weapon at the guard as they accelerated away, Harris said.
Deputies identified one of the suspects as 28-year-old David Joseph Esparza, Harris said.
It was unclear how he was tied to the crime, and if the guard worked for the Circle K.
Early Friday morning, investigators conducted surveillance on a home in the area of the 23000 block of Alma Street in Perris, and observed Esparza and two others leave in an SUV that matched the description of the one used in the robbery, Harris said.
Authorities attempted to stop the SUV, but the driver led them on a short pursuit through Perris before returning to where the chase began. The occupants fled the SUV in different directions but investigators caught Esparza and a 19-year-old woman, Harris said. Authorities found the driver of the SUV two hours later at a residence in the 1000 block of Perrisito Street in Perris. He was identified as 27- year-old Jose Rangel.
Esparza and Rangel were interviewed and arrested before being booked at the Cois Byrd Detention Center on suspicion of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, Harris said.
Press Enterprise

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