Crime

The Riverside County Coroner’s Office has released the identity of the man killed in an officer-involved shooting last week on Interstate 10 in Palm Springs. Russell Leggett, 30, of Idyllwild was pronounced dead on Thursday after following a police pursuit that ended in a shooting. Police said the pursuit began at around midnight when Leggett

El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents discovered a fake FexEx truck with undocumented individuals smuggled into the United States. The discovery happened Thursday afternoon near the Highway 111 checkpoint not far from Niland. According to Border Patrol, agents spotted the white delivery van “exhibiting signs consistent with human smuggling.” There were no details as to

A Thermal man was killed in a “brutal attack” by a bat-wielding assailant three years ago, a prosecutor told jurors today, but a defense attorney said there was doubt about the circumstances of the fatality, suggesting the alleged attacker was actually defending himself during a fight. Saul Mayoral, 53, is accused in the March 23,

A convicted felon accused of stealing a vehicle with a toddler inside in Desert Hot Springs was ordered today to stand trial on kidnapping and other felony charges. Yadira Dolores Flores, 31, of Desert Hot Springs is charged with kidnapping, wilful child cruelty, vehicle theft, receiving a stolen vehicle and sentence-enhancing allegations of committing an

A 28-year-old probationer accused of ramming a Banning patrol car while fleeing in a stolen vehicle, then eluding law enforcement for a month, was charged today with assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon and other felonies. Jessie Edward Robey of Yucaipa was arrested and booked Tuesday into the Smith Correctional Facility in

A former Shadow Hills High School boys’ basketball coach pleaded not guilty today to charges of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. Ryan Leron Towner, 35, was arrested on June 10 stemming from a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation. The alleged conduct occurred between May and July 2018, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

An 86-year-old man convicted of killing one pedestrian and injuring another while driving drunk in Palm Springs was sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison today. On Sept. 1, an Indio jury convicted Palm Springs resident Leroy Silva of murder, DUI causing bodily injury, DUI causing bodily injury with a blood-alcohol level of

A 41-year-old felon was legally sane when he killed his father’s girlfriend in Thermal, jurors decided today. Raul Alcantar Sanchez Jr. was convicted last week of murder for killing 34-year-old Carolina Vargas in November 2012, and the trial immediately moved into the sanity phase at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. Jurors reached their conclusion

A dog was killed after attacking a police officer during an arrest at a home in Beaumont Tuesday night. The incident started at approximately 7:01 p.m. on Sundance Drive. According to the Beaumont Police Department, officers were called to the area to respond to a male with a knife. Once officers arrived at the scene

A 41-year-old convicted felon knew what he was doing when he killed a woman in Thermal, a prosecutor argued today, but his attorney asserted he was mentally infirm and urged an Indio jury to find him insane at the time of the crime.     Raul Alcantar Sanchez Jr. was convicted last week of murder for