Last Updated on January 29, 2020 by CCAR Staff
An Anza man suspected of leaving the scene of a crash near Aguanga that left a 63-year-old woman dead earlier this month was arrested by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday afternoon.
The crash happened on Jan. 3, at around 6:15 a.m. on Highway 371, north of Wilson Valley Road, according to a report from the California Highway Patrol.
A crash report from the CHP indicated that the three-vehicle crash started when a 2011 Nissan Versa driven by Antone Bayard, 23, of Anza, was traveling north on the 371 at a high rate of speed and crashed into the back of a 1986 Toyota pickup truck.
The CHP said Bayard lost control of his vehicle, drifted into the the southbound lane of the 371 and crashed into the front of a 2011 Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes traveled across the northbound lanes of the highway, and rolled over onto the shoulder of the roadway.
Officials said the driver of the Mercedes died of injuries from the crash at the scene. The driver was identified by the Riverside County Coroner’s Office as Joan Terlisner, 63, of Aguanga.
The CHP crash report said the driver and passenger of the Toyota had no injuries from the crash.
Bayard left the scene of the crash before authorities arrived, the CHP said.
CHP officer Mike Lassig said investigators just after the crash had tracked Bayard to a location in the Coachella Valley where he was hiding from authorities.
Two CHP officers confronted Bayard, and the three got into an altercation. The two officers were injured with non-life-threatening injuries, and Bayard escaped.
At that time, the CHP sought help in finding Bayard.
WANTED: Antone Wayne Bayard, age 23, from Anza.
Bayard is wanted for 187 PC and an altercation injuring 2 officers. Bayard is believed to be in the Temecula/San Diego area with plans to flee to Mexico.
Any Info regarding Bayard, contact CHP Dispatch (858) 637-3800. pic.twitter.com/wIyK30iqM4
— CHP Border Division (@CHP_Border) January 5, 2020
Authorities said the Riverside County Fugitive Task Force and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department arrested Bayard on Tuesday on suspicion of murder and hit-and-run causing serious or fatal injuries. Bayard was found in the Desert Hot Springs area.
Bayard was arrested Tuesday afternoon at around 4:25 p.m. and booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, according to jail records.
