Mountain Center man receives 10-year sentence in shooting of teen in Palm Springs
A 21-year-old Mountain Center resident accused in a shooting that injured a teenager in Palm Springs received a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty to lesser charges today.
Jesse Alnarldo Simpson Jr. was sentenced Thursday by Judge Gregory Olson at the Larson Justice Center in Indio after pleading guilty to evading arrest and assault with a semi-automatic firearm, according to Thalia Hayden of the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
A sentencing enhancement of personal use of a firearm was attached to the latter charge as part of the plea agreement, added in the amended information filing.
Five additional felony counts, four for attempted murder and one for shooting at a vehicle, were dismissed.
The defendant was arrested on Oct. 4, 2021 on suspicion of shooting at the vehicle from his own moving car in the 3400 block of North Sunrise Way, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.
Simpson was charged with four counts of attempted murder and one count each of shooting at a vehicle, attempting to flee from officers causing serious bodily injury and illegally possessing a loaded firearm.
During his arraignment at the Larson Justice Center in Indio in October 2021, Simpson pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was being held at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio on $4 million bail.
Police responding to the shooting found a 15-year-old boy who had been struck while entering the vehicle, along with three other passengers who were unharmed, according to Sgt. Michael Casavan. The boy was treated at a hospital and has since been released.
It was unclear what motivated the incident, but evidence found at the scene pointed investigators toward Simpson, officials said.
Patrol officers spotted Simpson at 5:30 that afternoon in the 3700 block of North Indian Canyon Drive, and he tried to flee in his vehicle, police said. He was caught on Rosa Parks Road after crashing into another vehicle and attempting to run away.
The driver of the other vehicle received minor injuries and was treated at a hospital.
