Pair Arrested for Alleged Truck Theft

LAKE ELSINORE - Two men suspected of stealing a pickup truck tried to run away from sheriff's deputies today when they were cornered at a Lake Elsinore gas station but were quickly apprehended.

Edward ''Ricky'' Parks, 46, of Riverside and Rodney Cameron Rice, 21, of Canyon Lake were arrested on suspicion of auto theft, receiving stolen property and being in possession of illegal drugs. Parks was additionally jailed for alleged parole violations.

Both men were booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta. Parks is being held without bail, while Rice is being held in lieu of $225,000.

According to Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. David Cardoza, around 2 a.m., a deputy spotted the suspects gassing up a Toyota pickup truck at a service station in the 29300 block of Central Avenue and decided to run a check on the vehicle's license plate.

The truck came back as reported stolen from a Menifee address, Cardoza said, and the deputy attempted to approach Parks and Rice, both of whom fled on foot.

The lawman chased the pair to a nearby L.A. Fitness Center in the vicinity of Third Street and Dexter Avenue, where they hid behind a retaining wall, according to Cardoza.

Additional deputies were summoned, and the men were soon located and taken into custody without further incident.