Woman convicted of DUI, headbutting Palm Springs cop sentenced to probation
A 25-year-old woman who drove under the influence and assaulted an officer in Palm Springs pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges today and was immediately sentenced to just under five years of probation.
Melinda Leigh Haley of Desert Hot Springs pleaded guilty Wednesday to three misdemeanor counts of assault against an officer and one misdemeanor count each of driving under the influence and battery on an officer, according to court records. She was immediately sentenced to summary probation until May 1, 2028.
According to court records, she will also serve 75 days in custody with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and will also need to attend 26 anger management courses within a year.
Officers responded to the 300 block of South Palm Canyon Drive at around 4 a.m. April 11 to a report of a vehicle facing the wrong direction and partially off the roadway, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.
Haley was found in the driver's seat and had been driving the vehicle while intoxicated, according to police. Officers also said she had a revoked driver's license and was on probation for DUI.
"During the arrest, Haley headbutted an officer and attempted to kick out the windows of the police cruiser,'' Palm Springs police said in a statement. "Haley subsequently spat on several officers that attempted to restrain her and later spat on EMS staff that tried to evaluate her for
injuries."
According to court papers, she headbutted one officer's face and tried to kick another, who she also spat on along with spitting on a third officer.
"It's beyond frustrating to see a repeat DUI offender continue to put innocent lives in danger," Police Chief Andy Mills said in a statement. "The fact that this suspect also chose to assault the officers attempting to make the arrest only compounds the gravity of their actions."
According to court records, Haley has no prior convictions in Riverside County.
