Menifee Resident Mike Drown said he knew something was out of place when he saw  28 year old Jeremy Phillips of Hemet riding a 2005 Honda CFR450. Drown told police detectives, “the guy was riding it, like he just stole it.” Drown said he first noticed the motorcycle speeding down a rural road near Menifee Lakes Golf Course. Drown said the rider was not wearing motocross riding gear and his helmet was missing the visor (No, it wasn’t Mike Metzger). Drown immediately called a friend who is a Detective for the Murrieta Police Department to report what he was watching as he attempted to follow the reckless rider. Drown followed Phillips and at one point, stalled Phillips by briefly speaking to him. Drown said Phillips went down on the Honda in a dirt field, subsequently stalling the motorcycle. 
      
Murrieta Police Detective Kelly Sik responded to the area and located Phillips attempting to push start the Honda. Phillips was detained and the Honda was in fact, a reported stolen motorcycle. Phillips was arrested for possessing stolen property and violation of parole. Detective Sik said the motorcycle was stolen from amateur racer, Brent Nielson four days earlier. Nielson was traveling from his winter home in Arizona to ride at Competitive Edge race track in Adelanto, California, when he stopped for a motel room in Fontana. Nielson told Sik, “When I saw the bullet proof glass at the front desk, I knew I should have kept driving.” Nielson said he last saw the Honda chained and locked in the bed of his pickup, which he parked in the motel parking lot. When he returned in the morning, the motorcycle was gone. Nielson said the Honda CFR450 was beautiful with a lot of, one of a kind, modifications and after market equipment. Sik said Mike Drown is the hero in this story, “Mike Drown is a former motocross racer himself and I knew when he called me, this bike was going to be stolen. Thanks to his willingness to get involved, Mr. Nielson has his race bike back.” Nielson said he was grateful to get his Honda back and said he never expected to see it again.