Three young men and a teenager were arrested Friday for allegedly shooting at each other from two vehicles in Coachella.
Indio residents Raymond Munoz-Jimenez, 18, Ruben Molina, 19, and Esteban Lara-Cardenas, 22, along with a 15-year-old boy, were arrested Friday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy and possession of a loaded firearm, according to Sgt. David Aldrich of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Molina was additionally arrested on suspicion of committing a felony while on bail.
Aldrich said that deputies responded to the 85000 block of Cairo Street on Friday to a report of a shooting between several subjects in a Ford SUV and a silver sedan.
Numerous semiautomatic handguns were fired, but no one was injured, according to Aldrich. The vehicles fled the scene, but the Thermal sheriff’s station Special Investigation Unit found the SUV in the 50000 block of Frederick Street shortly after.
Deputies tried to stop the SUV, but a short pursuit ensued to the 84000 block of Vera Cruz, where the occupants got out and fled as it was still in drive, Aldrich said. The SUV subsequently collided into a residence. No one was injured.
Molina allegedly dropped a semiautomatic firearm as he exited the vehicle, and an additional firearm was found in the vehicle, according to Aldrich. The teen was arrested shortly after a perimeter was set up. He was found in the 49000 block of Corte Percebe in Coachella.
Both suspects were arrested in the area.
The other vehicle, allegedly driven by Munoz-Jimenez with Lara-Cardenas in the passenger seat, was found in the 84000 block of Corte Loreto, where they were also arrested, Aldrich said.
All suspects were booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, where Molina was being held on a $500,000 bail bond. Munoz-Jimenez and Lara-Cardenas remain held on $25,000 bail
The teen was booked into Juvenile Hall in Indio.
Anyone with additional information on the incident was asked to call Deputy Piscatella of the Thermal sheriff’s station at 760-863-8107 or Valley Crimestoppers, anonymously, at 760-341-7867(STOP).