Author: KESQ

Shay Lawson

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — A powerful explosion rocked downtown Palm Springs Saturday, leaving damage scattered over a 100-yard radius according to investigators.

The blast shattered windows, rattled nerves and left local businesses like The Velvet Rope reeling.

Owner David Rios said he’s spent days sweeping up debris and repairing broken windows — without the help of insurance.

“No one tells you that you need terrorism insurance, you think about fire and floods,” Rios said. “In the meantime, when we gave them the claim, we were denied.”

Despite the devastation, Rios said a strong sense of community has emerged.

“They have given me love and support,” Rios said.

Rios colleagues said he is a beacon of kindness not only to the community of Palm Springs but to all those around him.

To support The Velvet Rope during this time, visit its GoFundMe.

Crews are continuing cleanup efforts as the investigation proceeds.

Stay with News Channel 3 for the latest updates.

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Shay Lawson

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte spoke live with News Channel 3’s Shay Lawson to share his message to the community after a bomb explosion rocked the city on Saturday.

“It’s going to take time to heal the wounds that have been caused and the emotions and the incredible stress, not just for us two-legged folks, but our pets also that have been really impacted,” deHarte said “So I asked for patience. We’re going to get there. It’s still an active crime scene, so the investigation is, we’re not even 48 hours in, so answers are going to come it’s going to take a little bit of time.”

deHarte said the city has been working to provide resources and supplies to homeowners or businesses that were impacted by the blast.

“We’ve been working and having conversations for the last two days, talking to our other elected officials in different departments. Asking the questions about what resources are available, especially since insurance companies are looking at this as an act of terrorism,” deHarte said. “So we are rallying all the partners. I know Supervisor Perez has been checking with their Economic Development Department at the county level, we’re talking with Small Business Administration and any other department we can. Reach out to so we’re gathering the information on what programs may be available to our residents and our businesses.”

deHarte directed residents to visit EngagePalmSprings.com for a list of resources and information from the city.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage on the Palm Springs explosion.

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Garrett Hottle

BANNING, Calif. (KESQ) – Opening statements began in the trial of a real estate developer accused of providing six-figure bribes to former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, who pleaded guilty last week to a slate of felony charges connected to his support for the defendant’s projects.

John Elroy Wessman, 86, is charged with nine counts of bribery of a public official and one count of conspiracy to commit a felony.   

After several days of jury selection at the Banning Justice Center, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Samuel Diaz on Friday swore in a panel to hear the prosecution’s case against Wessman, who is free on his own recognizance.

During a court conference Wednesday, Pougnet, 62, admitted nine counts of bribery by a public official, eight counts of illicit financial interest in public contracts and one count of conspiracy, as well as no contest to three perjury counts. The plea was directly to the court, without negotiations between the defense and the District Attorney’s Office.   

Prosecutors objected to the plea because “the defendant took advantage of the public trust,” the D.A.’s office said in a statement. Pougnet, who is also free on his own recognizance, is slated for sentencing on July 2 and is expected to receive probation.   

He, Wessman and 59-year-old Richard Hugh Meaney were criminally charged, for the first time, in 2017 and later indicted by a grand jury.   

All the felony charges against Meaney were later dismissed. However, he pleaded guilty to a reinstated misdemeanor count of financial conflict in a government contract. Meaney is free and due for sentencing in June.   

The case, which began as a federal corruption probe until it was turned over to county investigators in 2016, has been plagued by repeated delays, some resulting from ongoing challenges by the defense to the indictment, as well as the COVID lockdowns, Pougnet’s relocation to another state, changes to legal counsel and related complications.   

A trial judge in December 2020 dismissed all counts against Wessman, characterizing them as baseless, but the charges were reinstated by the Fourth District Court of Appeals in Riverside less than two years later.   

Pougnet served two terms as mayor, leaving office in 2015.   

The influence-buying scheme that prosecutors say the men were involved in netted Pougnet close to $400,000 between 2012 and 2014, securing his public support for projects brought before the Palm Springs City Council, specifically The Dakota, the Desert Fashion Plaza, The Morrison and Vivante.

Steve Pougnet and John Wessman (2012)

Payments to Pougnet were drawn directly from accounts maintained by Meaney’s Union Abbey Co. and Wessman Development Inc., according to the prosecution.

Deputy District Attorney Amy Barajas told the grand jury in 2019 Pougnet planned to move to Colorado to join his husband and two children when his first term ended in 2011, but the two developers allegedly put him “on their payroll” in order to gain his votes of confidence in their projects.

“This is a case about political corruption in Palm Springs,” Barajas said. “What kind of corruption? Well, one of the oldest stories in the book. Some wealthy real estate developers get a politician on their payroll, and in exchange they get favorable treatment, inside access and large contracts.”   

She said Pougnet was hesitant about remaining for a second term as mayor. The grand jury was shown an email exchange from May 30, 2011, between him and Meaney, in which the latter wrote, “Everything is in place. The big question from everyone is … what are your plans?”  

Pougnet’s response indicated their relationship hinged on the defendant securing something in return.

“I need to know that an offer is very real, that I am an employee somewhere that has a letter `of employment,”’ Pougnet wrote. “That will make a decision much easier. As you know, a month ago, this was not even an option on the table with me and Christopher. Staying (in Palm Springs) has huge family implications considering I would be going back and forth.”

The then-mayor accepted $225,000 as an initial incentive to remain active in local government, according to prosecutors.

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Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Indian Canyon and Gene Autry Trail are now open at the Whitewater wash in Palm Springs.

The important traffic arteries had been closed for days due to strong winds, which caused low visibility and covered the roads with drifting sand.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.

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City News Service

NORTH PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A fire damaged a North Palm Springs home today, displacing two residents and causing minor injuries to one person and a firefighter.

The fire was reported shortly after 1:30 p.m. near North Indian Canyon Drive and 18th Avenue in the unincorporated area of North Palm Springs, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

Crews contained the fire shortly after 2:30 p.m. Monday, the department said.

A resident and a firefighter were taken to a hospital to be treated for their minor injuries, sheriff’s officials said.   

The American Red Cross was requested to assist the displaced residents.   

Firefighters were expected to remain on scene for about an hour to conduct overhaul operations.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

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City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Two men accused of killing a man and wounding two others in an attack in Palm Springs must stand trial for murder and other charges, a judge ruled today.

Anastascio Jesus Machuca, 23, and Antonio Marins, 24, were arrested in 2022 following the alleged shooting in the area of East Ramon Road and Highway 111.

Following a preliminary hearing at the Larson Justice Center in Indio Monday, Riverside County Superior Court Judge James Hawkins found there was sufficient evidence to bound both defendants over for trial on the first-degree murder count, as well as two counts of attempted murder and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.

Marins was additionally held to answer for firing a gun from a vehicle.   

The judge scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for June 4. Each man is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.

According to the Palm Springs Police Department, shortly after 2 a.m. on Oct. 30, 2022, Machuca and Marins were in the 5600 block of Ramon when they allegedly got into an unspecified dispute with the three victims, whose identities were not disclosed.

Investigators said the confrontation quickly turned physical, at which point Machuca allegedly opened fire with a handgun, followed by Marins, who police said discharged multiple rounds as he sped away, trailing Machuca in a separate car.

All three young men in the line of fire were hit. One died at the scene, the other two were treated at a regional trauma center, ultimately recovering.

The defendants were almost immediately identified as the alleged assailants. Sheriff’s deputies located Marins in Palm Desert hours later, taking him into custody without incident.

Detectives tracked Machuca down in Mecca, where he was arrested uneventfully around the same time.

Neither defendant has documented prior felony convictions.

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City News Service

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles today announced the launch of a program to file complaints and arrest warrants to allow federal law enforcement to take defendants into federal custody from state jails.   

The program, called Operation Guardian Angel, seeks “to neutralize California’s sanctuary state policy and protect Americans from criminal illegal aliens incarcerated in county jails by issuing federal arrest warrants for them,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.   

The program, which began May 10, has resulted in the arrest of 13 defendants on federal charges as of last Thursday, prosecutors said.   

“Even the worst criminal aliens in state custody are frequently released into the community because California’s sanctuary state policies block cooperation with federal law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. “These laws effectively render federal immigration detainers meaningless. The days of giving criminal illegal aliens a free pass are over. While California may be presently disregarding detainers, it cannot ignore federal arrest warrants.”  

An immigration detainer is a request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement asking a federal, state or local law enforcement agency — including jails, prisons or other confinement facilities — to notify the requesting agency as early as possible before releasing a removable undocumented immigrant, and to hold the person for up to 48 hours beyond the scheduled release time so the U.S. Department of Homeland Security can assume custody under federal immigration law.

A release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office  said the goal of Operation Guardian Angel is “to neutralize — as far as possible — California’s sanctuary state policy and make our community safer.” 

The Central District of California — comprised of the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura — is home to an estimated 1.5 million undocumented immigrants, according to federal prosecutors.

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Jesus Reyes

Update 5/20/25

The missing woman was found dead off of Highway 247 in Johnson Valley Monday afternoon, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced.

Authorities said Bird was found dead near a large group of boulders.

An autopsy will be performed to uncover the cause of her death.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Eric Rebollar, Specialized Investigations Division at (909) 890-4904. Callers can remain anonymous and contact We-Tip at 800-78CRIME or www.wetip.com.

Original Report – 5/19/25

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – Authorities are asking for the public’s help in the search for an 86-year-old woman who has been missing since Saturday in Twentynine Palms.

Lorraine Blondina Bird was last seen at her home on the 6000 block of Roberts Avenue in Twentynine Palms at around Noon on Saturday, according to the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station.

Police said Bird left her residence in her gray 2002 Mercedes E-Class sedan with custom license plate LBBIRD1.

Bird is described as 5 feet tall, weighing approximately 90 pounds, with brown hair with some red and brown eyes.

Police added that Bird had the early onset of dementia and other medical issues. She did not take her medications with her.

Please call Sheriff’s dispatch immediately if seen at (909)387-8313, reference report 202500618.

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Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – A miracle in more ways than one. News Channel 3 is learning more about the patients of American Reproductive Centers, the target of Saturday’s bombing. Officials confirming while the facility’s office space was damaged, the lab was untouched and no embryos were were injured.

A relief for patient Emery Baucas.

“I was actually here at work on Saturday morning. My husband texted me saying there was an explosion at ARC. I said ‘what are you talking about?’ I was very confused about the whole situation. And then my friends started calling me asking me ‘isn’t that the clinic you go to?’”

Emery Baucas, patient

She was recommended to ARC in 2021, the only reproductive clinic in the area, after experiencing several pregnancy complications. It was thanks to medical experts there that she gave birth to her firstborn, who is now two and a half years old.

She says she and her husband have been discussing the idea of having another baby, but that choice was almost taken from her, as her embryos were in the facility at the time of the bombing.

“Things like this shouldn’t happen. I’m glad that all the embryos are safe. That all families still have that protection, that plan.”

Emery Baucas, patient

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear her story.

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Peter Daut

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Police Chief Andy Mills told News Channel 3’s Peter Daut that other people could potentially face charges if investigators learn they had some prior knowledge about the Palm Springs bomb explosion or the suspect’s activities.

Even though 25-year-old Guy Bartkus of Twentynine Palms is still believed to have acted alone in the explosion, Mills says other people had not only seen but commented on some of Bartkus’ online posts.

“We want to track every second of that man’s behavior in our city, and now the as the tough work is still ongoing, the agents are out there right now combing through every piece of debris, making sure that we get every piece of evidence possible, and then also determine in the future if somebody else may have been involved, from the standpoint of aiding and abetting, or at least being aware of what was going to take place, we want to know about it,” Mills said.

“You mentioned other people who may have been involved. What were some of the warning signs leading up to this explosion? And do you think people knew that he was going to do this?” Peter asked Mills.

“This is just my personal opinion, not professional, but yeah, I believe people knew because he was on… in chat rooms. He was on YouTube, he was experimenting with explosives. Other people knew that there were all kinds of views and comments on some of those, on some of those things,” Mills answered.

We always say, if you see something, say something, and absolutely people need to. But let’s take that a step further. If you see it, you own it.”

– PSPD Chief Andy Mills

Mills continued, “In other words, you’re just as culpable as the person who pulled the trigger or set off the bomb. If you believe something was going to take place. You saw them googling mass casualty incidents, active shooters, you know, serial killers, and you didn’t speak up morally, you own this and and so people in our community and other communities. This guy wasn’t from our community, but people need to speak up and be heard. That’s the only way we can intervene in these things, but also get them the help they need.”

Mills added that people with knowledge of the situation could face charges, depending on what they knew. The decision on charges will be up to the FBI.

Authorities said on Sunday they were examining an “anti pro-life manifesto” believed to be authored by Barktus, who was killed in the explosion.

Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said, “The suspect had nihilistic ideations.” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli noted that the case is being treated as domestic terrorism.

The FBI has identified Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of 29 Palms as the primary suspect in the #PalmSprings vehicle explosion. The vehicle was a silver Ford Fusion sedan, plate 8HWS848. Please call 1800 CALLFBI with information or upload relevant video/images at https://t.co/CnxyRN1YIv pic.twitter.com/dYAG26xCYY

— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) May 18, 2025

An anti pro-life manifesto believed to be authored by the suspect online includes a rambling audio recording, with the author outlining his motivations and noting that “nobody got my consent” to be born. The website — since removed from the internet — noted that the person intended to live-stream his suicide during the bombing of an IVF clinic. FBI officials said they believe Bartkus was trying to livestream the bombing but failed.

The unsigned manifesto makes reference to an end goal to “begin the process of sterilizing this planet of the disease of life.” It also states, “I think we need a war against pro-lifers.” The author describes himself as a pro-mortalist, noting that “your death is already a guarantee” and “all a pro-mortalist is saying is let’s make it happen sooner rather than later … to prevent your future suffering and, more importantly, the suffering your existence will cause to all the other sentient beings.”

In an interview with The New York Times, Bartkus’ father, Richard, said his son would often build stink bombs as a child, was good with a firearm and liked to build rockets. He said he has not spoken to his son in about a decade.

The investigation into Saturday’s explosion continues. Crews were out Monday afternoon at the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic at 1199 Indian Canyon Drive, which sustained heavy damage.

Crews put a tarp over the American Reproductive Centers building (5/19/25)

The explosion happened Saturday at around 11 a.m. Four other people were injured and have since been released from the hospital.

Images from viewers show damage at several nearby buildings, including Desert Regional Medical Center, Denny’s, and Palm Springs Liquor.

In a Sunday morning news briefing, Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said authorities served a search warrant Saturday in Twentynine Palms, where some neighbors were evacuated for several days.   

Davis said Bartkus was driving a 2010 silver Ford Fusion sedan with California license number 8HWS848.  

The FBI has identified Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of 29 Palms as the primary suspect in the #PalmSprings vehicle explosion. The vehicle was a silver Ford Fusion sedan, plate 8HWS848. Please call 1800 CALLFBI with information or upload relevant video/images at https://t.co/CnxyRN1YIv pic.twitter.com/dYAG26xCYY

— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) May 18, 2025

“That’s critical because we need the public’s help in identifying the gaps in our investigation,” Davis said. “We know where Mr. Bartkus was at about 6 a.m. We know the timeline of when he entered the city; however, we need the public’s help for identifying where he traversed within the city before the explosion.”

Authorities were also working to determine what type of explosives were used and where the suspect obtained them.

Davis described Saturday as an “intentional act of terrorism” and “one of the largest bombing investigations we’ve had in Southern California,” with evidence strewn for hundreds of feet around the blast.

On Sunday, Davis went a step further saying: “The is probably the largest bombing scene that we’ve had in Southern California. This does eclipse the bombing matter in Aliso Viejo (at a day spa in 2018); it’s that big. For reference, to throw pieces of vehicle hundreds of feet in the air, and several blocks away, you can use your imagination how big that bomb device was.”

Authorities reiterated Sunday that all the embryos inside the building were safe.  

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.

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