Suspect in deadly Fontana crash captured after escaping police custody at hospital
FONTANA, Calif. (KABC) -- A suspect who fatally struck an innocent driver in Fontana while fleeing from authorities was captured early Thursday after he escaped from police custody at a hospital in Colton, officials said.
Noe Armando Banuelos, 32, of Long Beach, was initially arrested Wednesday afternoon after he crashed into the driver of a Mustang while fleeing from California Highway Patrol officers. The innocent driver, who has not been identified, died at the scene.
Banuelos, a wanted federal fugitive, escaped from CHP custody as he was being transferred from the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center to jail just before 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to authorities.
Further details about how he was able to escape were not available.
A multi-agency search was launched and Banuelos was eventually found at an abandoned golf course on Pepper Avenue. He was still in handcuffs and hospital clothing when he was taken into custody just after 12:30 a.m. Thursday.
Those events unfolded after a CHP officer had pulled Banuelos over around 1:15 p.m. Wednesday on the 15 Freeway after he was spotted speeding in a white Jeep Cherokee, according to CHP Capt. Salvador Suarez. That's when Banuelos suddenly took off.
"The officer immediately ran back to his patrol car and attempted to catch up to the Jeep," said Suarez.
Banuelos ended up in the city of Fontana, heading westbound on Beech Avenue, when he slammed into the innocent Mustang driver, who was crossing the intersection on Cherry.
AIR7 footage showed the mangled Mustang crashed into a fence on the side of the road. The Jeep had damage to its front end.
Banuelos was taken into custody almost immediately after he tried running away from the crash scene. He was taken to the hospital for injuries, though the extent of those injuries was unknown.
