Man in alleged assault, pursuit that ended in a standoff on the I-10 pleads not guilty
A Whitewater resident who allegedly threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend and pointed a gun at officers during a pursuit on Interstate 10 that blocked traffic for several hours pleaded not guilty to five felony charges.
Jairo Santiago Chaides, 37, was charged with one felony count each of false imprisonment, criminal threats that result in great bodily injury and death, evading arrest, exhibiting a firearm to an officer, and being a convicted felon and narcotic addict in possession of a firearm, according to court records.
He was additionally charged with one misdemeanor count each of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse and exhibiting a firearm not in self-defense.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges Tuesday afternoon at the Banning Justice Center.
Deputies responded around 1:43 a.m. Jan. 18 to a report of a domestic violence assault in the 12800 block of Emerald Drive near Whitewater, according to Sgt. Dave Morton of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
Morton said Chaides allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend, held her against her will and, while waving a black handgun, threatened to kill her before fleeing the scene in a Ford pickup truck.
Around 4:38 p.m. the next day, the truck was spotted on Interstate 10 near Washington Street in Palm Desert, Morton said. As officers attempted to pull him over, Chaides allegedly fled at a high rate of speed and pointed a gun at pursuing officers.
California Highway Patrol officers deployed a tire deflation device and managed to stop the truck on Interstate 10 by Date Palm Drive near Cathedral City, according to Morton.
"While he was sitting in the driver's seat, Chaides pointed the handgun at his own head and refused to exit the vehicle,'' Morton said. "After numerous attempts of requesting Chaides to surrender peacefully, a chemical agent was deployed."
Morton said Chaides was taken to a hospital with a self-inflicted non-life-threatening gunshot wound after being treated on the scene by deputies and Cathedral City Fire Department personnel.
He remained at the hospital for treatment, but was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside by Friday. He was being held on $1 million bail.
Chaides previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge of possessing a firearm while on probation, according to court records.
The investigation was ongoing and anyone with information on the case was asked to call Investigator William Hickock from the Palm Desert sheriff's station at 760-836-1600 or crime stoppers anonymously at 800-782-7463 (CRIME).
