By SARAH BURGE, The Press-Enterprise
March 28, 2008

A man wanted on suspicion of stalking his estranged wife while out of jail on bail was arrested Wednesday at the Pechanga Resort & Casino after leading police on a high-speed pursuit from Murrieta into San Diego County and back to Temecula.Kevin Dale Powell, 48, of Murrieta, had been arrested in December on suspicion of spousal abuse and holding his wife against her will, said Murrieta police Sgt. Jim Ganley. While Powell was on bail in that case in December, he was arrested on suspicion of stalking and making criminal threats, Ganley said.

A judge reduced Powell’s bail at a recent hearing. But once Powell was released March 7 after posting $425,000 bond, he began stalking and intimidating his estranged wife yet again in violation of a protective order, Ganley said.

On Monday night, while his wife was at a Murrieta restaurant, Powell vandalized her car and punctured the tires, Ganley said. Although she had moved to a new address, Powell discovered where she was living and vandalized her apartment as well, Ganley said.

A judge revoked Powell’s bail, issued a warrant for his arrest and ordered round-the-clock protection for his wife until Powell was back in custody, Ganley said.

Murrieta police spotted Powell’s white Infiniti near Winchester and Murrieta Hot Springs roads late Wednesday morning and pulled him over. But when the officers approached the car Powell fled, Ganley said.

Reaching speeds over 100 mph, with Murrieta police, sheriff’s deputies, a sheriff’s helicopter and California Highway Patrol officers pursuing him, Powell drove south on Interstate 15 into San Diego County before turning back, ending up at the Pechanga Resort.

Powell stopped at a parking garage on the casino property just north of the casino and fled on foot into a nearby maintenance building. Law enforcement surrounded the area and sheriff’s deputies held Powell at gunpoint.

Pechanga Public Affairs Director Jacob Mejia said that while activities in the casino, for the most part, were not interrupted, bystanders were ushered inside, the doors were secured and traffic was stopped until the suspect was in custody.

Going in and out an exterior door on a second-story landing of the maintenance building, Powell demanded to speak with his lawyer and his son, and made cell phone calls to his estranged wife who was being guarded by a police officer.

Sheriff’s deputies, with the assistance of a police dog, took Powell into custody about 12:30 p.m.

Powell was taken to Rancho Springs Hospital in Murrieta for treatment of minor injuries, including a dog-bite wound, Ganley said.

His attorney, John Pozza, said Wednesday afternoon that he heard about the incident with his client but had not yet spoken with him.

Pozza said Riverside County Judge Rodney Walker had been reluctant to reduce Powell’s bail, but that Powell and his estranged wife have two teenage sons and Powell needed to help take care of them.

According to Pozza, while out on bail Powell had also called the police to report that his wife had been contacting him repeatedly.

Reach Sarah Burge at 951-375-3736 or sburge@PE.com
© 2008 Press-Enterprise Company

Posted on March 28th, 2008 by hunwut
Filed under: News, Reservations