Weather 
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. () — A man accused of driving a stolen car during a high-speed chase pled not guilty on Thursday in connection with the death of a sheriff’s deputy who died when the pursuit ended in a Victorville crash.
Ryan Dwayne Turner Jr., a 22-year-old resident of San Bernardino, entered the plea in court after being charged with second-degree murder. He was being held without bail.
Deputy Hector Cuevas Jr., 36, died in the violent collision on Monday.
“From Day 1 that I met him, I always said he was my son from another mother,” Sonia Bracey, a friend of Cuevas’s family, told reporters outside the courthouse on Thursday. “Such a big smile, such a caring guy, just loved life.
“He was just that warm, kind, caring person that had nothing to say negative about anybody,” Bracey said.
A vigil was held Wednesday night in honor of Cuevas.
“He sacrificed — he was the epitome of what that is, of sacrifice for his community, for his brothers and for his family,” Cuevas’s friend Gabriel Cannon said in a eulogy.
Cuevas is survived by his wife and two young children.
A vigil was held in honor of a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy who died in a violent crash during a pursuit of a stolen vehicle in Victorville.
“This is not the first time that Mr. Turner has fled when he’s been caught with a stolen car. In fact it seems as if each time it is what occurs that certainly factored into the idea that this is a murder case,” San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson said earlier this week.
According to the Rialto Police Department, Turner has previously been arrested for evading police and causing another crash involving an officer. He also has a lengthy record for vehicular thefts.
His next court appearance is scheduled for April 8 at the Victorville Courthouse.
© 2025 Television,
