The former Shadow Hills High School boys’ basketball coach was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a teenager. Ryan Leron Towner, 36, was arrested in June 2021. Authorities said the sexual assault took place between May and July 2018, however, it was reported later and the investigation began on April 23, 2021.
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A man accused of stabbing his wife and another man in what authorities called a domestic violence confrontation at a Palm Desert hotel parking lot pleaded not guilty today to two counts of murder. The charges against Kenny Shun Yu Wu, 34, of Palm Desert, include a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, along with
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One man is dead and a woman is behind bars after a shooting in Coachella on Sunday. According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department around 4:48 AM, deputies from the Thermal Station responded to a home in the 84-000 block of Fiesta Road in reference to a shooting. Deputies arrived and located a man with
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Three suspects arrested in the death of a man found inside a burning vehicle in Thermal pleaded not guilty to felony charges today. Â Â Hector Ramiro Yamanaka, 44, of Coachella, was charged with felony counts of murder, arson on property and having a fire explosive, along with a misdemeanor count of violating a domestic violence
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Update 8/4/22: The repeat offender has been arrested again after violating his restraining order against the business he vandalized, Palm Springs Police Chief Andrew Mills announced on Facebook. Mills wrote that Joshua Moon was arrested again after returning to the area he vandalized. After being released early just days after being sentenced to 16 months
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A gang member accused of joining a cohort in fatally stabbing a Banning man and wounding the victim’s son during a confrontation over loud noise must stand trial on murder and other charges, a judge ruled today.  Jerry Anthony Valdepena, 25, was arrested last year following a years-long investigation that identified him as the second
Continue Reading Two men and a woman have been arrested in connection with the death of a man whose body was found in bed of a burnt pick-up truck in Thermal. Hector Ramiro Yamanaka, 44, Daisy Gil Cabrera, 34, and Ireneo D. Lagunez, all residents of Coachella, were arrested in connection with the murder of Jesus M.
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Authorities today identified a 31-year-old man who was killed in a fatal collision in Palm Springs caused by someone suspected of driving under the influence. The collision occurred around 9 p.m. Saturday, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.  Investigators said a vehicle driven by a 57-year-old Los Angeles man, was traveling south on Sunrise
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A registered sex offender accused of fatally slashing his year-old daughter before throwing her off a cliff in the mountains south of the Coachella Valley, and also attacking the child’s mother and a good Samaritan, pleaded not guilty today to murder and other charges. Adam Slater, 50, is charged with felony counts of murder,
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Desert Hot Springs police officers located a vehicle that was reported stolen in Los Angeles. According to DHSPD, day shift patrol officers spotted the vehicle being driven around the city. The driver pulled into the parking lot of the Chase Bank / Carl’s Jr over on Hacienda Avenue and Palm Drive. Officers made contact with
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A 46-year-old man accused of committing several burglaries at Palm Springs businesses was charged with various felony. As we’ve previously reported, over the past month, break-ins were reported at Santorini off East Vista Chino, Manhattan in the Desert, along with the Sandwich Spot, Gastro Pub 1501, and the AIM Mail Center According to the Palm Springs
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Investigators have determined that the death of a man found inside a burning pick-up truck a few weeks ago in Thermal was a homicide. The man was identified by authorities as Jesus M. Hernandez, 35, of Coachella. The man’s body was found on July 14 on the 83000 block of Avenue 60. Deputies said at
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All online student services are back up on the College of the Desert website. This comes nearly a month after a widespread computer outage took down phone and online services. On Friday, school officials confirmed that the school was a victim of a malware attack. As we’ve previously reported, COD was working with the FBI
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A 41-year-old man pleaded not guilty today to robbing his acquaintance at gunpoint in a Palm Springs apartment. Billy Botley was charged with two felony counts for robbery and criminal threats of death or great bodily harm along with sentence-enhancing allegations for being armed, causing bodily harm, engaging in violent conduct, having a prior
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A 59-year-old man remains behind bars for allegedly being in possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin with intention to sell. The Indio was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine for sale, transporting methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl for sale, possession of heroin for sale, being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition, and committing
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A convicted felon is facing 15 years behind bars today after pleading guilty to attempted murder for stabbing an 81-year-old Banning man during an attack at the victim’s home. Freddy Armando Ochoa, 27, of Banning was charged with attempted murder, attempted escape of law enforcement custody and sentence-enhancing deadly weapon and great bodily injury allegations.
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Update 7/29/22: The man arrested in this incident has been charged. He pleaded not guilty to robbery charges on Friday. Original report 7/28/22: A man was arrested on accusations of breaking into a Palm Springs apartment and robbing a person at gunpoint. The robbery was reported on Saturday at around 4:30 p.m. at an apartment
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An arrest has been made in connection with the series of burglaries at several businesses throughout Palm Springs. As we’ve previously reported, over the past month, break-ins were reported at Santorini off East Vista Chino, Manhattan in the Desert, along with the Sandwich Spot, Gastro Pub 1501, and the AIM Mail Center Businesses have shared
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A man and woman were sentenced to lengthy prison terms today for molesting an 18-month-old boy in Desert Hot Springs and filming their actions. Michael James Flaherty, 36, and Cynthia Fuentes, 26, were convicted in December 2021 of three counts of committing lewd acts on a child under 14 years old using force, two counts
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Authorities today sought public help to locate an allegedly armed suspect who robbed a man at a La Quinta recycling center. Â Â Officers responded to the 79000 block of Highway 111 at around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday to a report of a robbery at a recycling center, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. A man
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