Suspect arrested after being tracked down in Indio desert

Indio police have arrested a man after he led officers on a pursuit through the desert Thursday. The chase led officers to Dillon Road and Fargo Canyon Road in the Indio Hills area.

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Around 10:20 a.m., police were called out to the Talovera area on a vandalism report. They didn’t find the suspect until about an hour later, and that’s when he fled from police.

The chase began at Avenue 41 and Monroe Street. The suspect ended up driving down a dirt road and got stuck in the desert. He ditched the vehicle and began running from police on foot.

Indio police and Border Patrol agents tracked him down and carefully made contact because they weren’t sure if he was armed. The man tried to run up a hill and police used a non-lethal device (Not a Taser) to scare the suspect.

After 45 minutes, the man surrendered to authorities and officers were able to make the arrest. Police believe the suspect was under the influence at the time of the pursuit. They also confiscated a firearm from the suspect.

News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 were at the scene Thursday afternoon. The investigation is ongoing and more information is expected to be released soon.