Abandoned car tied to missing Palm Springs man

An investigation into a missing Palm Springs man has led authorities to the mountains south of Palm Desert after officers with the U.S. Forest Service found his abandoned car near Pinyon Pines.

Juan Pedro Valladares, 34, was reported missing by family members on Sunday night, but nobody has seen him since Friday. They told police he asked for gas money so he could get out of the area. They also said he made statements about wanting to hurt himself.

His Toyota Corolla and cell phone were found on Monday in the parking lot of the Cahuilla Tenawet Vista Point off Hwy. 74 in Pinyon Pines. Investigators began searching the area once they determined the car belonged to Valladares.

After three days of searching by air and on ground, authorities haven’t found any additional clues to his whereabouts. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department brought in search dogs, the Mountain Rescue Unit, Desert Search and Rescue and deputies with the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station to assist.

Valladares was last seen wearing a black shirt, blue basketball-style shorts and flip-flops, according to the sheriff’s release.

The investigation continues into his disappearance, anyone with information is asked to call the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station at 760-836-1600.