Reward Offered In Palm Desert Parking Lot Attack, Carjacking
A paraplegic, part-time resident of the desert who was attacked in a Palm Desert parking lot last weekend asked for the public’s help in tracking down the man responsible.
Brian MacDonald, 67, of Vancouver, British Columbia, said the attack happened as he entered the parking lot behind the Daily Grille Restaurant on the 73000 block of El Paseo. A man whom he thought was a valet approached his SUV, hit him with a hammer and drove off with his vehicle.
“And, there’s a guy holding a hammer and it’s the same guy! But, now he’s wild like, ‘gimme your car keys! Gimme your wallet! Give it to me!’ So, I reach in and pull my keys out and he doesn’t grab them, he very nicely politely takes the keys, screams for my wallet, very nicely and politely takes my wallet,” said MacDonald.
The Chevrolet Tahoe was found on Monday with no sign of the suspect.
MacDonald was taken to a nearby hospital where he received 14 staples in his head to repair his injuries.
“And on El Paseo, we just were not thinking it can’t happen here but you can’t let our guard down,” said MacDonald.
On Wednesday, he sat at the front of the room with a member of the Riverside County Sheriff’s investigative team to show a composite sketch of the attacker and announce a $10,000 reward, funded by his friends and family.
The suspect is now described as a while male, 5’10” tall, 200 lbs., wearing a gray t-shirt.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Palm Desert Police Department (760) 836-3215 or Crime Stoppers at 760-341-STOP and refer to case #T11030056. You can remain anonymous, and you could be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
