Palm Springs, CA
The Palm Springs Police Department has arrested a suspect in a domestic-related assault after a community member recognized the individual from news coverage and alerted authorities.
On January 30 at approximately 5:27 p.m., officers responded to a report of a man brandishing a handgun during an altercation in the 2900 block of North Indian Canyon Drive. When officers arrived, they learned the suspect had fled the area on foot. Police established a perimeter and conducted an extensive search using ground units and an airship, but the suspect was not located at that time.
Investigators later identified the suspect as Andres Cervantes, 26, of Indio. According to police, Cervantes was involved in a domestic-related dispute in which he allegedly assaulted two individuals and pointed a handgun at them while making threats.
The following morning, January 31 at approximately 11:03 a.m., police dispatch received a call from a community member who had seen news coverage of the incident and recognized the suspect walking in the desert area near East Racquet Club Road and North Indian Canyon Drive.
Officers responded immediately, established a perimeter, and deployed a drone to assist in the search. The drone located a man matching the suspect’s description. Officers safely detained the individual and confirmed he was Cervantes, the suspect from the previous night’s incident.
Cervantes was taken into custody without incident and will be transported to the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio. He is expected to be booked on charges including PC 245(a)(2) assault with a firearm, PC 422 criminal threats, and PC 29800(a)(1) felon in possession of a firearm, among other potential charges. Police said the firearm involved in the incident has not been recovered.
Anyone with additional information related to this case or the location of the outstanding firearm is urged to contact the Palm Springs Police Department at (760) 327-1441 or Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP.