Moreno Valley Man Arrested for Firearm Violations After Foot Pursuit in Corona

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CORONA – A 33-year-old Moreno Valley man was arrested after a foot pursuit on Sunday authorities said. At around 1:05 a.m. officers were patrolling the parking lot of the Citrus Circle Apartments in the 300 block of South Buena Vista. Recently citizens at a Neighborhood Watch meeting at the Citrus Circle Apartments expressed the concern of possible drug-related activity by non-residents. They told police that they saw these subjects loitering in the parking lot during the late night or early morning hours. This information caused the extra patrol in the area.

During the patrol, the officers noticed a man drinking in the parking lot. When the man noticed the officers he fled on foot. The officers chased the man, while chasing they heard a heavy metal object fall to the ground. One officer chased as the other recovered the object, which was a loaded handgun.

The suspect tried to hide in nearby bushes near the Corona Municipal Court building in the 500 block of S. Buena Vista. The suspect, later identified as Anthoney Vargas came out, but did not comply with officers instructions.Vargas walked away from officers and a Taser was used to take the suspect into custody. Due to the use of the Taser, the suspect was taken to Corona Regional Hospital for medical clearance.

The officers checked the bushes where Vargas was hiding and they found a second, loaded firearm. The firearm was learned to be stolen from another state. Vargas was booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center for charges of possession of a concealed, stolen firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of tear gas by a convicted felon, resisting arrest, and possession of drug paraphernalia.