Charges for man shot by sheriff’s deputy in Thousand Palms
A homeless man who was shot and wounded by a sheriff’s deputy in Thousand Palms last weekend after he allegedly brandished a blade was charged today with assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.
Michael Curtis, 38, pleaded not guilty to the felony count and will return to court May 11 for a felony settlement conference. He’s being held without bail, according to county jail records.
Curtis was treated at a hospital for non-life threatening injuries following the Sunday morning shooting on Varner Road west of Washington Street, next to the Thousand Trails RV Camp, then booked that evening into the Riverside County jail in Indio, according to Deputy Robyn Flores.
A deputy, whose name was withheld, was conducting an area check at a transient camp when he encountered the suspect, and determined that Curtis had an outstanding arrest warrant, Flores said. When the deputy tried to arrest him about 8 a.m., Curtis allegedly advanced toward the deputy with a blade and was shot.
The criminal complaint filed Wednesday identifies the weapon as “a cutting instrument with a 12-inch blade.”
Authorities did was disclose how many shots were fired, how many times the suspect was hit, or where the suspect was struck.
No other injuries were reported, and the deputy involved was placed on administrative leave per department policy.
Riverside County court records show that Curtis has bench warrants for cases involving misdemeanor trespassing charges.
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