Ex-con charged with multiple felonies

An ex-con who led Palm Springs police on a pursuit in a stolen vehicle last week was charged today with evading arrest, hit and run, vehicle theft and multiple firearm-related felonies.

Nicholas Tyler Young, 24, of Palm Springs, was arrested Friday after police say he stole a car, then fled from officers who tried to pull him over. According to Palm Springs police, the car’s owner called 911 at about 2
p.m. Friday after spotting the stolen vehicle near South and East Palm Canyon Drive.

Responding officers found the car leaving the Desert Lodge Motel on South Palm Canyon Drive and attempted to pull the driver over, prompting a pursuit.

Young allegedly crashed the car into a curb about a quarter-mile from the motel, abandoned it and took off on foot, before officers took him into custody. A search of the car allegedly yielded a fully loaded 9mm handgun.

In addition to the vehicle theft, Young was wanted by Palm Springs police for a Nov. 20 hit-and-run crash, in which police say he fired a gun into the air when the victim took pictures of Young’s car.

Young is slated to be arraigned Thursday morning on charges of evading arrest, vehicle theft with a prior conviction, discharging a firearm, a misdemeanor count of hit and run causing property damage, and five counts of being a convicted felon and/or prohibited person in possession of a firearm.