City of Riverside, CA

06/17/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/17/2025 18:30

MAN ARRESTED FOR STRIKING WOMAN WITH VEHICLE DURING PROTEST

Published: 06/17/2025



MAN ARRESTED FOR STRIKING WOMAN WITH VEHICLE DURING PROTEST

RIVERSIDE, CA - On Saturday, June 14, 2025, several thousand people participated in a protest in downtown Riverside. Around 9:10 p.m., a large group of protesters were marching along University Avenue between Orange and Main Streets when a black SUV drove toward the crowd, striking a young woman. The SUV then fled the scene. Paramedics treated the woman at the scene and transported her to a local hospital, where she remains in critical but stable condition.

Officers found the suspect vehicle's license plate number, and detectives from the Robbery-Homicide Unit began their investigation and subsequently identified the suspect driver. With help from the METRO Team, they located and arrested the driver in the 4700 block of Jackson Street on Monday, June 16th.

58-year-old Russell Prentice of Riverside was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for assault with a deadly weapon and hit and run causing injury. Detectives also arrested 39-year-old Candase Wenzel of Riverside for accessory after the fact and destruction of evidence for her role in taking the suspect vehicle to Phelan, intentionally destroying and concealing evidence.

"From the officers in the field that night to our detectives who immediately launched the investigation, along with support from our Crime Analysis Unit and METRO Team, this case was solved quickly thanks to their combined efforts," said Chief Larry Gonzalez. "Equally important were the tips we received from our community, and we're grateful for the information they provided."

Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Mike Smith at [email protected]or (951) 353-7103, or Detective Nic Cantino at [email protected]or (951) 353-7104. Anonymous tips can be submitted through the Riverside Police Department's "Atlas 1" mobile app using the secure "Send a Message" feature. The app is available for download on both APPLE and ANDROID devices.

City of Riverside, CA published this content on June 17, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 18, 2025 at 00:30 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io