A 13-year-old Menifee boy riding his e-bike was struck and killed Wednesday afternoon by a driver fleeing police, after the woman ran a red light at the intersection of Holland Avenue and Evans Road at a high rate of speed. The suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Melody Valdez of Temecula, kept driving even after the collision before her vehicle became disabled and officers took her into custody.
The pursuit began around 4:54 p.m. Wednesday, according to CBS News Los Angeles, when Menifee police officers responded to a report of a burglary in progress in the 27000 block of Hemingway Court. Officers spotted a suspect fleeing the burglary scene by vehicle and attempted a stop, but the driver refused to pull over and kept going, eventually turning west onto Holland Avenue at high speed.
Valdez ran the red light at Holland and Evans, where her vehicle struck the boy as he rode his e-bike northbound on Evans Road, the outlet's report states. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers briefly pursued Valdez after the crash, but she continued to flee before her car became disabled, at which point she was taken into custody. She was booked into the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of homicide and other charges, per the same report.
Two Agencies, Two Tracks of Investigation
Two Agencies, Two Tracks of Investigation The California Highway Patrol's Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team handled the fatal-collision investigation, according to Menifee 24/7. Menifee police and the Riverside County District Attorney's Office are investigating the associated criminal case. Valdez, who police say was the sole occupant of the fleeing vehicle, was booked at the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center.
Menifee police was formed in 2020 when it took over municipal policing duties from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. The Cois M. Byrd Detention Center, where Valdez was booked, is in Murrieta.
What Charges Could Valdez Face
What Charges Could Valdez Face The fatal collision followed an alleged attempt to evade police.
A homicide allegation is also part of the case. Valdez was booked on suspicion of homicide, and the investigation remains underway.
A Recent Teen E-Bike Death in Menifee
This is another fatal e-bike crash involving a Menifee teenager. On August 12, 15-year-old Liberty High School student Koa Quintanilla was killed in a hit-and-run while riding an e-motorcycle on Briggs Road, a case that led his family to petition the city for a designated youth e-bike park, Menifee 24/7 reported. Between January 2025 and July 2026, Menifee police investigated more than 50 e-bike-related collisions citywide, with officers citing driver inattention and excessive speed as primary contributors, according to CBS Los Angeles.
The trend extends across the region. Emergency room visits for e-bike-related injuries in Riverside County climbed from 224 in 2023 to 494 in 2024 and reached 958 in 2025, per Riverside University Health System data cited in Hoodline's . Statewide, police pursuits also carry risks.
Menifee police have not released additional details about the burglary that preceded Wednesday's pursuit, and the investigation remains underway. Whether the department's pursuit policy permitted continuing a high-speed chase into a signalized intersection over a residential burglary call, and what specific charges the District Attorney's Office will present at Valdez's Friday hearing, remain open questions as the case moves forward.
