A body shop worker, who allegedly stole Palm Springs Police Department Chief Bryan Reyes’ patrol vehicle from the Cathedral City body shop where the ex-con worked, is facing new charges related to his alleged unlawful ownership of guns, ammunition and other prohibited items.
William Leon Menser, 26, of Indio, is accused of taking Reyes’ SUV last November while it was undergoing body work repair at Rembrandt’s Paint and Body, then using the vehicle to try to attempt a traffic stop on a man in Cathedral City, according to an arrest warrant declaration.
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INDIO (CNS) – A Desert Hot Springs man shot his roommate in the back of the head shortly after demanding that the victim and his girlfriend move out, then threatened to shoot the woman before turning himself in to police, a prosecutor told a jury Wednesday.
Brian Keith Hernandez’s attorney opted to reserve his opening statement for later on in the trial of the 49-year-old defendant, who’s charged with murder, assault with a gun and making criminal threats, along with sentence-enhancing firearm allegations.
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PALM SPRINGS (CNS) – Registration is open to local health managers and providers for an April 19 conference in Palm Springs on the latest trends in infectious diseases such as the Zika virus.
The Inland Empire Infectious Disease Conference for Prenatal and Pediatric Providers will get underway at 8:40 a.m. at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Topics include a clinical and epidemiological update on Zika and discussions on prevention of infant pertussis and congenital syphilis.
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PALM DESERT (CNS) – Three men who robbed a Palm Desert cell phone store late Wednesday afternoon were being sought by sheriff’s deputies.
The robbery occurred at 4:20 p.m. at the T-Mobile store at 34260 Monterey Ave.
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PALM DESERT (CNS) – A woman was in custody Wednesday on suspicion of setting a fire inside a Palm Desert hotel room.
The non-injury blaze was reported at 3:28 p.m. Tuesday at the three-story Embassy Suites at 74700 Highway 111, and was contained “to a room and contents” by two-dozen firefighters at 3:46 p.m., according to April Newman of the Riverside County Fire Department.
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MENIFEE (CNS) – The Menifee father of a woman who shot three people at YouTube offices in Northern California before killing herself said Wednesday the family is in shock at the shooting and is praying for the victims.
“Our family is in absolute shock and can’t make sense of what has happened yesterday,” Ismail Aghdam wrote in a statement he handed to reporters gathered outside his Menifee home. “Although no words can describe our deep pain for this tragedy, our family would like to express their utmost regret, sorrow for what has happened to innocent victims.
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RIVERSIDE (CNS) – An 18-year-old Riverside man accused of committing multiple holdups at stores in Jurupa Valley and Riverside was charged Wednesday with six counts of armed robbery
Samisoni T. Akauola was arrested Friday following an investigation by a regional task force staffed by Riverside County sheriff’s deputies and Riverside police officers.
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MURRIETA (CNS) – A Hemet man accused of fatally stabbing his 47-year-old girlfriend on a Winchester street was charged Wednesday with murder.
Jeffrey Michael Kruger, 48, was arrested Saturday for the alleged slaying of Deborah Warner of Temecula Kruger and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.
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RIVERSIDE (CNS) – Two felons accused of robbing a Perris store and shooting at a security guard while making their getaway, then later attempting to evade sheriff’s deputies, were both charged Wednesday with armed robbery and other offenses.
David Joseph Esparza, 28, and Jose Rangel, 27, were each arrested last Thursday following a pursuit in Perris.
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INDIO (CNS) – A man recently charged with the deaths of a dozen dogs found inside a stolen U-Haul truck in Thousand Palms is facing additional animal cruelty charges involving nine cats allegedly left inside a Palm Springs storage facility unit, one of which died, court papers show.
Douglas John Yates, 55, pleaded not guilty Monday to a dozen felony animal cruelty counts and one count of receiving stolen property involving the 12 dogs found dead inside the U-Haul truck on Feb. 15.
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RIVERSIDE (CNS) – A brush fire erupted Wednesday in a field near homes in south Riverside, burning about half an acre before crews got it under control.
The non-injury blaze was reported about 4 p.m. in the area of Alessandro Boulevard and Cottonwood Avenue, on the edge of Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park.
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RIVERSIDE (CNS) – A 60-year-old Perris man accused of holding a young girl against her will and sexually assaulting her was charged Wednesday with three counts of lewd acts on a child.
Graylin Dennis Williams, who is also charged with false imprisonment, made his initial court appearance before Superior Court Judge David Gunn, who appointed him a public defender and scheduled his arraignment for April 18 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
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BANNING (CNS) – A Perris man accused of killing his passenger and injuring several other people in an alcohol-fueled collision in Hemet last month was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder and other offenses.
Brandon Todd Brassard, 24, was arrested Friday after he was released from the hospital.