2 arrested for La Quinta armed robbery

Deputies with the Thermal Sheriff’s Station arrested two men accused of armed robbery at a La Quinta business located in the 79900 block of Highway 111 at 8:19 p.m. Wednesday.

Authorities said two suspects ran from the business without paying for merchandise and escaped in a gray car, possibly a Honda. During the incident, one of the men pulled out a small black handgun. Police did not name the business, but the only businesses there are a Home Depot store and a Mobile gas station.

The suspects were arrested a little before 2 a.m. on Thursday.

Investigators identified one of the suspects as 31-year-old Oscar Rodriguez of Indio. He was seen walking in the area of Avenue 48 and Dillon Road in Coachella and was booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio.

The other suspect was identified as 23-year-old Cesar Tafolla of Indio. Tafolla was located and arrested in the 84000 block of Lingayan Avenue, in an unincorporated area of Indio, according to the sheriff’s release.

Jail records show both Rodriguez and Tafolla were booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio on charges of 2nd degree robbery.