Crime

A onetime NCAA champion wrestler convicted of beating up one woman and sexually assaulting another at his Coachella Valley ranch was handed a two-year state prison sentence today. Wayne Eric Boyd, 74, of Sky Valley was convicted in August 2019 of criminal threats and assault with the intent to commit mayhem, rape, sodomy or oral

A La Quinta man accused of stabbing a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy in the leg during a scuffle in Palm Desert pleaded not guilty today to two counts of attempted murder on a peace officer and other felony charges. Christian Matthew Choi, 50, was arrested March 30 in the area of El Paseo and Lupine

Felony assault charges were filed today against two Central Valley men accused of shooting a senior with a BB gun while he was sitting at a bus stop in Palm Springs. Christian Vitto-McVay, 19, of Modesto and Larry Bradford Williams, 26, of Stockton are accused in the drive-by attack reported about 6:50 p.m. last Tuesday

The U.S. Border Patrol announced that two men who were arrested attempting to cross the U.S. border into Calexico were identified on a terrorism watch list. The arrests happened over the past couple of months. The first arrest happened on January 29. A 33-year-old man from Yemen was apprehended approximately three miles west of the

A July 15 arraignment date was set today for the security director of the Coachella Valley Unified School District, who was allegedly caught attempting to beckon the services of a prostitute. Adam Sambrano Jr., 39, of Indio was charged Friday with one misdemeanor prostitution solicitation count and remains out of custody awaiting his initial court

The Beaumont Police Department have arrested a suspect accused of stealing a bucket truck and seriously injuring a contractor. The incident happened on Oct. 8, 2020 in the area of Beaumont Avenue and Oak Valley Parkway. Police said the suspect drove off in the bucket truck while the contractor was still on it. Example of

Nearly a dozen felony charges were filed today against a La Quinta man accused of stabbing a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy in the leg during a scuffle in Palm Desert. Christian Matthew Choi, 50, is charged with 10 felony counts, including two counts of attempted murder on a peace officer. He also faces charges of

Saturday marks two months since a 17-year-old boy was fatally stabbed in Palm Springs, and a man wanted for questioning in the case is still being sought by police. James Bernard of Twentynine Palms was attacked about 4:15 a.m. Feb. 3 in the 300 block of South Palm Canyon Drive, near West Baristo Road. He

A 25-year-old felon was sentenced today to 40 years to life in state prison for gunning down a Palm Desert man during an argument at a gas station. Conrado Pizarro Kurtis Knigge of La Quinta was 18 years old when he opened fire on 26- year-old Conrado Pizarro in the parking lot of a Shell

One person was arrested following a standoff at an an apartment complex in Palm Desert where a wanted suspect has barricaded themselves inside. The standoff was at the Palm Palace Apartments located on the 74000 block of Alessandro Drive, near De Anza Way and Portola Avenue. Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies said that the person surrendered

Authorities today publicly identified a 27-year-old woman found dead from a gunshot wound at an Indio motel. Patrol officers were sent to City Center Motel, located at 83-597 Indio Blvd., about 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Indio Police Department. Officers found Ashley Brito of Thousand Palms dead at the location. Police would not comment

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department released the 911 recording and body cam footage of a deputy involved shooting that killed the founder of the Joshua Tree Coffee Company in Indian Wells. The shooting happened on February 15, 2021 inside the gates of the Desert Horizons Country Club, located near Rancho Palmeras Drive and Highway 111.

A ride-hailing driver pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl at a Palm Desert resort. Ismael Gaspar of Cathedral City pleaded guilty to one count each of burglary and committing lewd acts with a child under 14 years old, and two counts each of oral copulation of a minor under 14 years old and

Attempted murder and gang-related charges were filed today against an 18-year-old man accused in a shooting that injured a woman and a juvenile at a Cathedral City park. Ivan Raya-Reynoso of Cathedral City and an underage suspect are accused in the shooting that was reported at 6:50 p.m. last Friday at Ocotillo Park, 33300 Moreno

Andres Martinez Pita Jr. got the call overnight Monday that his dad, Andres Martinez, had been shot and killed at Desert Hot Springs Mobile Home Park. “It’s crazy; I’m still in disbelief,” Martinez said. “My dad was a very good guy. He was always looking out for people, and to me it was random.” A GoFundMe

A Mexicali man was charged in federal court with organizing the smuggling event that led to a crash between an SUV and a semi-truck that killed 13 people near Holtville, California on March 2, 2021. The SUV was carrying 25 people at the time of the crash. Some, including the driver of the semi-truck, were