Man gets 141 years to life for shootout with Indio police

A 34-year-old felon was sentenced Friday to 141 years to life in prison for trying to kill an Indio police officer during a shootout in a shopping center parking lot in 2012.

Eddie Joseph Rivera of Indio was found guilty in a retrial last month of attempting to murder one of two police officers involved in the November 2012 shootout.

Rivera also was convicted of robbery, attempted robbery, being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition. The judge stayed the sentences for possession of the gun and ammunition, but given Rivera had three prior strikes for serious felonies before the latest case, the court had little flexibility on the length of the prison term.

“We’re pleased with the sentence,” Deputy District Attorney Antonio E. Fimbres said. “The sentence was basically predetermined by the legislature.”

Deputy Public Defender Naomi Coady declined to comment about the lengthy sentence. Rivera did not make a statement before the sentence was read and no victims appeared for the hearing.

Rivera was arrested following the violent confrontation at a shopping center near Highway 111 and Madison Street with Indio police Sgt. Jeff Merritt and Officer Don Studdard. The officers returned fire and Merritt inflicted an “in-and-out” wound to the back of Rivera’s neck that did not require hospitalization.

Merritt was not present for the sentencing hearing but the prosecutor said the officer also was pleased with the outcome of the case.

Four occupied vehicles were hit by stray rounds during the shootout, but no bystanders or officers were injured.

At the time of the shootout, officers wanted to question Rivera because he fit the description of a suspect in a recent robbery and attempted robbery. Key to the prosecution’s case was a videotaped police interview with Rivera, during which he admitted committing two recent robberies, being a methamphetamine addict who smoked the drug in the hours before the shootout and routinely carrying the Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver he used in the shootout.