INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A Coachella Valley Unified School District teacher accused of inappropriately touching a student pleaded not guilty today to lewd acts on a minor and other offenses. Mario Manuel Valenzuela, 42, of Coachella was arrested last month following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation. Along with the lewd acts count, Valenzuela
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Update 3/20/25 The suspect, Ryan Dwayne Turner, was arraigned in court on Thursday. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. His next scheduled hearing date is set for April 8. Turner’s bail remains set at no bail. Original Report 3/19/25 SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ) – A 22-year-old man accused of leading police on a
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — A juvenile was recovering after a stabbing in Palm Springs Thursday night during VillageFest. There was a heavy police presence near the Kimpton Rowan Hotel on Belardo Road in downtown Palm Springs just before 6:30 Thursday evening. News Channel 3’s crew was at the scene – Emergency vehicles were present,
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Update 3/20/25 The coroner’s office identified the man killed in the crash as Christopher Rodriguez, 28, of Cathedral City. There is no word on the status of the man arrested. Last week, CHP said he remained hospitalized. We’ve reached out to the agency for an update. Origianl Report 3/12/25 PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A
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A 54-year-old woman was arrested Monday in Morongo Basin after being accused of squatting at a house and being in possession of meth. The incident was first reported Monday just before 2:00 p.m. on the 72000 Block of Winters Road. The victim reported that his vacant property had unathorized electrical service in someone else’s name,
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Jury deliberations got underway today in the penalty phase of trial for a convicted felon who killed his year-old daughter and stabbed his pregnant wife during a child custody exchange in Indian Wells. Adam Slater, 53, of Palm Desert killed baby Madalyn in 2020 during an act of rage that
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A Rancho Cucamonga woman was arrested after a 10-year-old child died from fentanyl and xylazine toxicity, authorities said. The incident happened in December 2024 in Rancho Cucamonga. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to a 911 call regarding an unresponsive, 10-year-old child. Despite life-saving efforts, the child was later pronounced dead.
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The U.S. Border Patrol is cracking down on weapons trafficking in the Coachella Valley. Agents from the Indio Border Patrol Station posted a photo on social media Tuesday of the latest contraband seizure from the El Centro sector. Agents intercepted four AK-style rifles, eight handguns, pistol magazines, and 50 rounds of
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COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) – An 18-year-old Coachella resident was in custody today after allegedly making threats to harm members of his family. Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Thermal station responded to a “family disturbance” at a residence in the city shortly after 3 p.m. Monday, according to the department. They identified the
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A former Palm Desert High School football coach who ran over and killed a 64-year-old caregiver while driving under the influence was convicted today of murder. A Riverside jury deliberated roughly two days before finding 33-year-old Cameron Francis Curtis of Palm Desert guilty of fatally striking Nancy Valdes, also of Palm
Continue Reading INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The prosecution and defense rested their cases today in the penalty phase of the trial for a convicted felon who killed his year-old daughter and stabbed his pregnant wife during a child custody exchange in Indian Wells, setting the stage for closing arguments. Adam Slater, 53, of Palm Desert killed baby
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TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – A 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a hit-and-run while driving a U-Haul vehicle in Twentynine Palms. The crash happened on March 8 at around 9:15 p.m. in the area of Twentynine Palms Highway and Mesquite Springs Road. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, deputies learned that
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A 25-year-old man who joined his brother in a takeover robbery at a Banning cannabis store where two people were stabbed and another almost shot was bound for state prison to begin serving a sentence of 21 years to life behind bars. Raymond Emilio Paul Matus of Beaumont was convicted nearly
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A former Desert Hot Springs city councilman who damaged a young man’s car in a fit of rage following a roadway encounter was sentenced today to 12 months’ probation and ordered to pay the victim $3,400 in restitution. Russell Trueman Betts, 66, pleaded guilty last week to an unlawful fight in
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LANDERS, Calif. (KESQ) – Two men were arrested after an accusation of a sex crime and victim intimidation in the High Desert community of Landers. The investigation started on March 2. The victim told investigators that she was sexually assaulted at her residence in Landers, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The agency
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PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A suspect who allegedly injured a resident during a 2021 burglary was in custody today. Officials received a report of a residential break-in near the 72000 block of Mesa View Drive at 4 a.m. Aug. 15, 2021, according to a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department statement. The suspect “entered the residence
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INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A Texas woman who snatched her daughter from a Thousand Palms elementary school in a custody dispute with the girl’s father was sentenced today to three years of felony probation. Sara Lee Almodovar, 39, pleaded guilty last year to child stealing and assault on a school employee in connection with the
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Motorists inclined to imbibe wine, spirits, green beer and other beverages in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day should not chance their luck drinking and driving, Riverside County sheriff’s officials said today. The sheriff’s department is slated to deploy deputies for saturation patrols and other traffic duties a week from today as
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Update – 3/14/25 John Chavarria was found and arrested Wednesday, March 12, at a residence on the 7400 Block of Kellogg Avenue in Twentynine Palms. He was found at the residence with another wanted suspect. Chavarria was booked into Morongo Basin jail, where he is being held without bail. He faces charges of attempted murder
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TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Investigators with the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station released a surveillance photo of a suspect wanted for a shooting at Twentynine Palms motel on Wednesday. The shooting happened at the Motel 6 on the 72500 Block of Twentynine Palms Highway. Deputies responded to the scene and learned that a motel guest,
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