An outlaw biker accused in the ambush slaying of a rival at a Riverside gas station is slated to be arraigned Friday on murder and other charges.
Joshua Ryan Herbert, 27, of Corona allegedly gunned down 31-year-old James Duty of Orange and tried to shoot one of the victim's associates last month.
In addition to first-degree murder, Herbert is charged with attempted murder, a special circumstance allegation of killing for the benefit of a gang and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
His arrest was announced this morning during a briefing by Riverside police and other officials at the department's Magnolia Station.
The defendant is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside and is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Friday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
According to Riverside police, about 10:30 p.m. on May 21, Duty and four fellow Hells Angels bikers were fueling up at the Shell station in the 3500 block of Adams Street, just off of the Riverside (91) Freeway, when Herbert and another person, who remains at large, allegedly drove by and opened fire.
Duty was struck multiple times, and another Hells Angels member narrowly missed being hit when a bullet grazed his helmet, investigators said.
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The assailants fled toward the freeway, eluding capture.
Duty was transported to a hospital, where he died a short time later.
Working with the Anaheim Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Garden Grove Police Department, the Long Beach Police Department and other agencies, investigators determined that the Mongols motorcycle gang, with which the Hells Angels have feuded for years, was responsible, according to Detective Jim Simons.
He said enough evidence was amassed to justify search warrants earlier this week at the following locations: Anaheim, Cathedral City, Corona, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Riverside.
Herbert, a documented Mongols gang member, was taken into custody without incident Tuesday at his residence on Monterey Peninsula Drive. His alleged accomplice has yet to be identified.
According to police, the handgun allegedly used to kill the victim was seized during the raids, as well as other firearms and various gang paraphernalia.
Herbert has no prior felony convictions in Riverside County. Anyone with information that might help the investigation was asked to contact Simons at 951-353-7138.
