OC man charged with assaulting Indio officer after brief chase near Coachella Music & Arts Festival

 A 32-year-old Orange County man accused of assaulting an Indio police officer and leading law enforcement on a brief chase near the Coachella Music & Arts Festival has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and other offenses.

Michael Anthony Berber of Fountain Valley made his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. He pleaded not guilty to his charges. He's scheduled to return to court on April 29.

He remains in custody at the John Benoit Detention Center on $530,000 bail.

According to the Indio Police Department, at about 10:45 p.m. Saturday, the suspect was driving in the area of Avenue 48 and Calle Conejo, just a few blocks north of the Empire Polo Club, where the music festival is being held, when he allegedly ignored traffic controls, prompting a patrolman to try to detain him.

Berber disregarded the officer's orders and struck him with his vehicle while fleeing the location, police alleged.

"The suspect fled westbound on Avenue 48 and then northbound on Jefferson Street, while being pursued by Indio police," according to an agency statement. "Once the suspect merged onto westbound Interstate 10, California Highway Patrol took control of the vehicle pursuit with the assistance of Indio PD."  

Berber stopped a short time later at the intersection of Monterrey Avenue and Varner Road in neighboring Thousand Palms, according to police.   

He was taken into custody without further incident and was not injured.   

The officer allegedly struck by the suspect was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and sent home, where he's expected to make a fully recovery, according to officials.

Background information on Berber was not available, including the basis for the robbery allegation.

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