Felon who skipped court date arrested after shots fired in Palm Springs

The Palm Springs Police Department arrested a man Wednesday morning after a police pursuit from Palm Springs to Cathedral City led to gunfire.

The suspect, 24-year-old Christian Cervantes, has made headlines recently for allegedly robbing Cathedral City ice cream vendors on July 10, and then for skipping his court date in connection to those charges on August 27.

Wednesday morning’s pursuit began around 8 a.m. after someone reported seeing Cervantes in a maroon 1993 Honda parked in front of the Rite Aid at 366 South Palm Canyon Drive.

According to the Palm Springs Police Department, an officer attempted to stop the vehicle in the parking lot, but the female driver kept going. The woman tried to evade officers but the chase never exceeded speeds of 55 MPH.

During the pursuit, officers said Cervantes held a handgun outside the passenger window and fired several gunshots into the air.

The woman ended up stopping the car in the 28000 block of Avenida Maravilla in Cathedral City and Cervantes threw the handgun out of the window at that point, according to police.

Both suspects were taken into custody by P.S.P.D. and officers located the .32 caliber handgun. The investigation revealed that the female driver, who is an acquaintance of Cervantes, drove the car while being in fear of him, so she was only cited for an outstanding misdemeanor warrant and was then released.

Cervantes was arrested for willfully discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, kidnapping, committing an offense while released on bail and an outstanding felony warrant for robbery.

He was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.

Police said there were no vehicle collisions or injuries reported in the pursuit.