Author: KESQ

Athena Jreij

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The family of 80-year-old Henrietta Ruiz is speaking out after she was hit by a car while walking along Vista Chino and Hermosa Drive last week.

The crash was reported July 15 around 6:30 p.m., when Palm Springs Police say Ruiz was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene shortly after.

The suspect vehicle was believed to be a white Ford F-150, possibly a model year around 2000, driven by a Hispanic man in his 60s with a scruffy white beard, police said.

“She was actually in a crosswalk and a white truck came in and hit her and briefly stopped and then took off. Good Samaritans came out and were able to call 911 immediately, and got her to the hospital as fast as they could,” her daughter Raquelle Martinez said.

Martinez claims her mother has vivid memories of the accident, and her first words were ‘white truck,’ when she woke up.

Now, her family says she’s fighting for her life at Desert Regional Medical Center, and has since undergone multiple surgeries while remaining in critical condition.

“Her scalp was de-gloved. She had an open arm fracture, a hip fracture, multiple facial fractures. She has injuries like a vascular injury with her arm. She’s already had abdominal surgery for bleeding,” Martinez said.

The family says they’re shocked by the accident, especially since Ruiz spoke with News Channel 3 just months ago about the dangers of walking along Vista Chino.

“The speed that everybody drives down Vista Chino is pretty, pretty fast, so I don’t think they’re going the speed limit,” Ruiz told News Channel 3’s Luis Avila back in January.

Her family says she was an avid walker, even while they warned her to be careful along the road.

Now, they’re holding out hope that justice will be served in time for Henrietta.

“We have no hate or anger towards the person who did it. I know it’s an older gentleman, but it’s just a tragedy. Just sad that just to leave someone on the road, so basically, just come in, fess up and apologize,” Martinez said.

If you’d like to assist the family and Ruiz’s medical journey, visit: Help Our Mother Recover After Hit-and-Run.

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Jesus Reyes

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The man behind a Riverside County duck sanctuary accused of neglect after hundreds of birds were rescued has been officially charged with animal cruelty.

Howard Berkowitz has been charged with four counts of felony animal cruelty and four counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office confirmed on Thursday.

Berkowitz first came into the spotlight in April after Riverside County took nearly 500 ducks from his property in Anza. Officials said the situation at the animal sanctuary got out of control, resulting in overcrowding and poor living conditions for the ducks.

Berkowitz was in trouble again last week when San Diego County animal services seized more than 800 birds and two dogs from a Valley Center property following a tip from Riverside County. Berkowitz was initially arrested on a Ramy warrant, but he wasn’t immediately charged.

The District Attorney’s office said all charges are specific to the alleged crimes committed in Riverside County only. The DA’s office said authorities are awaiting Berkowitz to turn himself in, where he will then be held on $10,000 bail. An arraignment date is currently unknown.

Berkowitz told News Channel 3’s Garrett Hottle in April that he is not an animal hoarder, insisting the animals in his care were fed and watered and that he turned animals away when he could not support them.

“I am not a duck hoarder,” he said. “I don’t go out and solicit for these ducks.”

Check Out: Dispute over Anza duck sanctuary deepens as co-buyer describes disturbing conditions

County records obtained by News Channel 3 show that Riverside County Code Enforcement opened a zoning case at the Bautista Canyon Road property in November 2024, documenting more than 1,000 birds on a 4.78-acre parcel zoned for no more than 20 animals.

Riverside County Department of Animal Services documented 29 separate visits to the Anza property between October 2024 and October 2025. A formal warning was not issued until August 2025, ten months into that process.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates on this case.

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Garrett Hottle

PIONEERTOWN, Calif. (KESQ) – David Corso wants to be clear about one thing, he says he is not a developer.

“I’m a marketing executive, and I have a passion for Pioneertown,” Corso told News Channel 3 inside the Pioneertown Soundstage, the 1940s-era movie building his company owns on Mane Street and the subject of its pending county permit.

San Bernardino County is drafting new building rules for Pioneertown’s historic Mane Street, a district added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.

The draft Pioneertown Special Development District would cap buildings at 28 feet, limit any single building to 7,000 square feet, and keep the roads unpaved.

The county expects it to reach the Planning Commission this fall and the Board of Supervisors in winter, and says those dates could change.

Two projects are moving through county review ahead of those rules.

The Pioneertown Motel on Curtis Road has applied to add 47 rooms to its existing 19, along with a day spa, restaurant, outdoor pool, horseback riding and a guest-only event venue.

And Corso’s company, Pioneertown Land Company, is seeking a conditional use permit to renovate the Soundstage for live music programming and add an outdoor dining pavilion.

State environmental filings show no final county decision on either.

Corso, who has produced brand activations at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for 25 years, said the Soundstage sits dark most of the year.

“Tourists walk up and down the street, and when we open the doors, they’re like, ‘Oh my God, what is this?'” he said. “We want to create an attraction here for people to come inside, enjoy it, take their photos, have fun with their families.”

He said the goal is maintenance, not transformation.

“It’s really not development,” Corso said. “It’s literally trying to figure out how does Pioneertown have a revenue stream so that it sustains on its own to pay the taxes, to pay the fire insurance, to pay the maintenance on the structures and the buildings.”

Corso says roughly 300,000 visitors come through Pioneertown. He explained the town has no public restrooms and no county trash service, and erosion runs down the middle of the dirt street where visitors walk. He said landowners are asking the county to “chip in” as part of the new rules.

On the fear that outside money will commercialize the town, Corso said he agrees with the skeptics up to a point.

“Many locals fear that Pioneertown is going to be commercialized, and I agree that it should not be commercialized,” he said. “It should be executed through the lens of Pioneertown.”

Not everyone is reassured. Sonya Fox, a resident of 18 years, worries about what the crowds will bring.

“We like that we were getting more revenue and people coming up it gives our store business, and people jobs and opportunities,” Fox said. “But to have it just inundated with so many people, how will that help? I’m not really sure.”

Cody Kennedy, who manages the Mane Street properties for Pioneertown Land Company and lives in the first building constructed in town, said fears of a nightclub or a strip mall misunderstand how the county works.

“Rumors start pretty easily,” Kennedy said. “If there is a nightclub, it’s got to get approved through the county, and there’s a process… the neighbors get notified. It’s not like tomorrow they can come open up and turn it into a nightclub.”

At the Pioneertown General Store, the assistant manager of five and a half years remembers a different problem.

“When I first started here, it was like quite literally a ghost town,” she said. “But even on weekends and even weekdays, it’s been way more people coming up. I’ve met people from all over the world here.”

That last part is easy to verify on Mane Street. On the afternoon News Channel 3 visited, one of the tourists was a man named Adi, from a village in Yorkshire, England, who said he drives through the desert every year on his way to San Diego Comic-Con and stays a night in Pioneertown and who, for Marvel, designed Iron Man’s red-and-gold Mark III armor.

“I’m originally from Bosnia, and we watched a lot of Western movies,” he said. “So to me, it was kind of like, oh, wow, I’m on a set of one of those.”

The county’s draft rules are open for public comment with Associate Planner Vivian Nguyen at Vivian.Nguyen@lus.sbcounty.gov.

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Jesus Reyes

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – An elderly man from Coachella was convicted on Thursday of child sexual abuse charges.

Ysidro Anaya Sanchez, 74, pleaded guilty to five counts of lewd act with a child under 14 years. Sanchez admitted the felony counts under a pretrial agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. No charges were dismissed under the plea.

Superior Court Judge Charles Rogers scheduled a sentencing hearing for Aug. 18 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. The sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense under the terms of the plea deal is 16 years in state prison, according to the D.A.’s office.

Sanchez is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Robert Presley Jail.

According to the criminal complaint, the alleged crimes happened between June 2015 and June 2016 and July and August 2019. But other details, including where the alleged offenses occurred or the exact number of children involved, were not available.

Sanchez was arrested in January, 15 2020 after following a sheriff’s department investigation initiated after one of the victims came forward.

Sheriff’s Investigator Prezell Burgie wrote in a bail-setting declaration that Sanchez admitted to detectives that he had a “problem” with his sexual impulses.

“I asked him if his problem is touching young girls, and he said yes,”’ Burgie said.

No other details were provided.

Sanchez had no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

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Jesus Reyes

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KESQ) – The injured Big Bear bald eagle believed to be Jackie successfully received a life-saving transfusion earlier this week, according to the Ojai Raptor Center. The eagle remains in critical condition, and she continues to receive intensive care in the nonprofit’s urgent care unit.

“A treatment plan has been developed to ensure we are covering all bases while we work to determine the cause of anemia. She is eating well, perching, and remains bright and strong,” reads an update Thursday by the center. “While we are encouraged by the dedication and collaboration surrounding this case, it is still too early to predict the outcome. We know many of you are hoping for more answers, and so are we. Wildlife medicine often requires patience, and some answers simply take time.”

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According to the Friends of Big Bear Valley, the eagle continues to be alert, perching, eating both assisted and on her own. She is still severely anemic; they are unable to determine why.

The center said it expects to have another update on Monday.

The eagle was found injured over the weekend after being attacked by two other eagles.

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“The eagle was found hanging around on the ground. So when we say grounded, that means they’re not perched in a tree; it’s not normal behavior because they do want to be perched in trees,” said Jenny Vosard, of the non-profit Friends of Big Bear Valley.

On Monday, the Ojai Raptor Center confirmed the eagle is underweight but alert. She’s perching and eating with assistance.

Officials are awaiting test results to confirm whether the eagle is indeed Jackie. Based on information available and the circumstances surrounding the rescue, the patient is believed to be part of the well-known breeding pair from the Big Bear area.

If you would like to contribute to the eagle’s rehabilitation, click here.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.

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Tommy Gallegos

PALM DESERT, Calif. (July 23, 2026) — A suspect accused of stealing a rare sculpture valued at approximately $3,600 from a Palm Desert retail business has been arrested following a multi-agency investigation that led authorities from the Coachella Valley to Los Angeles County.

The theft was reported on June 18, 2026, when deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station responded to the 72000 block of Dinah Shore Drive after a business owner discovered the sculpture had been stolen. Deputies met with the victim and launched an investigation into the missing artwork.

The case was taken over by the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station’s Business District Team (BDT) and Robbery Burglary Suppression Team (RBST), who worked together to identify the suspect through investigative leads.

According to investigators, surveillance footage and public safety cameras played a key role in the case.

On July 17, 2026, investigators served a search warrant at a residence in the 1800 block of North Wilton Place in Los Angeles. The suspect was located and taken into custody without incident.

Authorities also served a second search warrant at a property in the 67000 block of Paletero Road in Cathedral City, where the stolen sculpture was recovered.

The artwork has since been returned to the Palm Desert business, where it has been placed back on display for sale. According to the business, proceeds from the sculpture will support a charitable cause.

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Tommy Gallegos

The crash occurred on Mountain View Road north of Club House Drive and involved two vehicles. According to California Highway Patrol, one vehicle crossed into the southbound lanes and collided head-on with another vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle that crossed the centerline, the sole adult male occupant, sustained major injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment.

The second vehicle was occupied by four people, including the driver and three juvenile passengers. CHP says the driver, identified by the Riverside County Coroner as Ashley Lopez, 37, of Desert Hot Springs, was pronounced dead at the scene. Of the three juveniles, one suffered minor injuries, while the other two sustained moderate to major injuries and were transported for treatment.Following the impact, both vehicles caught fire. Emergency crews responded to extinguish the flames, treat the injured, and secure the scene.

California Highway Patrol says that after the collision, good samaritans stopped as the vehicles were starting to catch fire, and pulled all occupants out of the vehicle.

Mountain View Road was temporarily closed at the location of the accident near Club House Drive, but has since reopened.

The Riverside County Coroner is on scene of the accident. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Officials have not released the identity of the deceased pending notification of next of kin.

Anyone with information about the collision is encouraged to contact California Highway Patrol.

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Kiera McKinney

PALM DESERT, CALIF. (KESQ)- A new LendingTree survey found 30% of Americans say they’ve shoplifted, up from 23% in 2024.

Among those who admitted to shoplifting, 90% said inflation or financial hardship played a role, with many saying they stole necessities like food and personal hygiene products rather than luxury items.

Indio police say that they are not seeing a big jump in shoplifting cases. Sgt. Abe Plata said when thefts do happen they involve items that are easy to hide or sell.

“It’s mainly over-the-counter medications, alcohol, clothing, tools, electronics. And other everyday consumer goods. Just simple things that they can quickly maybe sell” said Plata.

For some shoppers, higher prices are making them make tougher choices. The survey found that 28 percent of people who admitted to shoplifting cited financial struggles as a reason.

Steve Davidson, a resident said “It doesn’t surprise me in today’s market because people are, having a hard time, you know, with, with all the inflation and incomes.”

Another resident, Less Franz said “It’s just it’s a tough time to be in this situation.”

The survey also found that 37 percent of people who admitted to shoplifting said they did so within the last year.

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City News Service

MECCA (CNS) – A hiker was suffering from an unspecified medical emergency at a trail today in Mecca, prompting a rescue off the trail.

The “inaccessible rescue” call was reported about 12:45 p.m. Thursday at Box Canyon Road and Painted Canyon Road, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency stated that crews made contact with the hiker, whose name and age was not revealed, via an off-road vehicle and was taken to a local hospital.

It was unclear if the hiker sustained any injuries.

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City News Service

PALM SPRINGS (CNS) – Palm Springs residents were encouraged to fill out an online survey being made available today to help identify key characteristics and values for the city’s next police chief following the retirement announcement of current Police Chief Andy Mills.

“The city of Palm Springs is committed to a thoughtful, transparent selection process that identifies the right leader to serve our residents, support our organization and help shape the future of public safety in our community,” City Manager Scott Stiles said in a statement.

“I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to share their input on the leadership qualities they would like to see in our next chief of police,” Stiles added.

Residents will have until midnight Aug. 14 to fill out a community survey in either English or Spanish that will take roughly 10 minutes to complete, officials said. The anonymous survey is expected to be a vital part of the city’s recruitment process.

Last Thursday, Mills announced on a social media post that he will retire on Sept. 5 after serving for 13 years in the role. He and his wife, Cathy, plan to move near his mother in the Sacramento area to support her.

The survey is available here.

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