Man arrested after chopping car with axe near El Paseo

A 51-year-old man was arrested Monday morning in Palm Desert after reportedly using an axe to take out his aggression on a vehicle during a road rage incident near Highway 111 and El Paseo.

The victim, who was driving with his 17-year-old daughter at the time, called 911 around 9 a.m. and said a person was hitting his vehicle with an axe, officers said in a release.

The suspect, later identified as James Scott from San Diego County, fled the scene and the victim followed him to the Walmart parking lot off of Fred Waring Drive and Highway 111.

Deputies began investigating and arrested Scott for assault with a deadly weapon and felony vandalism. The passenger in his vehicle, 23-year-old Marcelino Castro of Rancho Cucamongo, was arrested for violating his parole. They were both booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio.

The victim and his daughter were not hurt during the assault.

Anyone with information about the road rage incident is asked to call Officer Pool with the Palm Desert Police Department at (760) 836-1600. You can also report a tip anonymously to (760) 341-7867.

The incident number for reference is # T151240034.