Fugitive found in stolen car in Palm Springs

A fugitive suspected of driving a stolen Lexus with a loaded revolver was arrested outside a Wal-Mart department store in Palm Springs Saturday.

Police received a call at 10:07 a.m. Saturday about the stolen 1992 Lexus sedan and spotted it, unoccupied, 20 minutes later in the store’s parking lot on East Ramon Road, Palm Springs police Sgt. Kyle Stjerne said.

Moments later a man, identified as Matthew Albert Beaupre, 29, with a bench warrant for his arrest, entered the vehicle with a woman. Beaupre started to pull away but braked when he saw a police cruiser behind the car, Stjerne said.

An anonymous tipster informed authorities that the driver was armed with a loaded gun. Officers then approached the Lexus with their weapons drawn and ordered the suspect and his passenger out of the vehicle, Stjerne said.

No weapon was found inside the car or on either occupant, but Beaupre was arrested. He was booked on suspicion of a felony count of receiving known stolen property and misdemeanor drug possession. Beaupre remained in custody

Sunday in lieu of $7,500 bail, records showed.

Beaupre’s female passenger was not arrested, Stjerne said.