Category: kesq-local-news

Jesus Reyes

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – A 22-year-old man who gunned down a shopper at the Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Cabazon with the help of twin brothers, all of whom wanted the victim’s Rolex wristwatch, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Reginald Charles Trice, 22, of Victorville, was convicted of murder, as well as attempted robbery, conspiracy to commit crime, person under 30 possess a firearm, sentence-enhancing Use Firearm w/Specific Felony and Discharge firearm causing GBI.

Michael Moser, 66, was killed in the shooting on March 24, 2022.

Michael Moser, pictured on the far left

Elijah and Emanuel Burt were each sentenced in recent years for their roles in the murder. Elijah Burt was sentenced to 11 years in state prison on Aug. 2025. Emanuel Burt was sentenced to six years in Nov. 2024.

The trio, longtime friends from Victorville, arrived in Riverside County on March 24, 2022, in Trice’s Jeep Cherokee, seeking out targets of opportunity, heading directly to the Cabazon mall in the 48600 block of Seminole Drive, just off of Interstate 10, in the late afternoon, prosecutors said.

Trice allowed Emanuel Burt to drive the SUV, and while they waited at a pedestrian crossing, Moser passed in front of the vehicle, talking on his mobile phone and walking into the mall, according to the brief.

“Trice explained that he saw the victim and thought he was wearing a `Rollie,’ slang for Rolex watch,” court papers stated. “Trice said, `once you see something you like, you get it.'”

He and Elijah Burt jumped out of the Jeep and tailed Moser into the mall, intending to rob him, prosecutors alleged. Emanuel Burt then backed the Jeep into position for a getaway.

Moser went into a restroom, with Trice and Elijah Burt close behind. Once inside, the defendants confronted him, Trice brandishing a Glock semiautomatic pistol and demanding that the victim surrender the Rolex, the brief said.

“Trice said Elijah froze and didn’t help with the attempted robbery,” the narrative said. “The victim started fighting, and Trice had his gun out during the fight, and the gun went off. He said that Elijah got shot in the hand. He said that all the victim had to do was `give it up.”’

Instead, Trice aimed the firearm at Moser’s chest and opened fire, killing him on the spot, the prosecution alleged.

The defendants ran to the Jeep and jumped in, prompting Emanuel Burt to sped away. From the time the men spotted Moser in the parking lot to the point where they fled the location altogether took 90 seconds, the brief said.

A security guard initiated CPR on Moser, and county sheriff’s deputies, then fire department paramedics, attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Elijah Burt went to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for treatment of his superficial hand wound.

Sheriff’s detectives gathered recordings from surveillance video cameras situated throughout the mall, gleaning license plate information for the getaway vehicle, which culminated in revelation of the defendants’ identities. The investigation led to verification of their movements using cell phone data and other security surveillance videos from area gas stations and hotels.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Ben Ramirez said a warrant was obtained and served at Trice’s residence in the 15500 block of Morada Road on April 21, 2022, when he was taken into custody without incident. The brothers were tracked down and arrested in Las Vegas at the end of April 2022.

None of the men had documented prior adult felony convictions in Riverside County. However, Trice and Emanuel Burt served sentences under supervision of the California Youth Authority for unspecified juvenile offenses in San Bernardino County, according to court records.

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Luis Avila

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) — The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an assault at a Sonic restaurant in Yucca Valley that left two employees injured.

Deputies were called to the restaurant in the 58100 block of Twentynine Palms Highway around 9:49 p.m. Monday, September 14.

According to the sheriff’s department, deputies learned that three people — described as two adult women and one adult man — were in the drive-thru and became upset with the service.

Investigators say someone in the group threw a bottle through a restaurant window. An employee then went outside and photographed the vehicle’s license plate.

The sheriff’s department says the suspects then got out of the vehicle, entered the restaurant and assaulted several employees. Two employees suffered injuries, according to deputies. The suspects left the area before deputies arrived.

Video of the incident is circulating on social media alleging that a student from Desert Hot Springs High School was involved.

The sheriff’s department says it is still working to determine whether the incident is connected to the juvenile mentioned in those posts.

In a message to families, Palm Springs Unified School District said it is aware of social media posts about the incident. The district says it is cooperating with law enforcement and that any appropriate disciplinary action will follow.

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Gavin Nguyen

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KESQ) – “He’s a really great person, really friendly, really appreciable.”

That’s how Pablo Perez, a helicopter mechanic, remembered George Marciniw. Marciniw was the pilot flying NewsChopper4 when it crashed on Tuesday. Marciniw, reporter Eliana Romero, and a pedestrian on the ground, Edy Guitierrez Mejia, were killed in the crash.

Perez and Marciniw had a close working relationship that began a couple of years ago, when Marciniw approached Perez about working on some of the other helicopters he owned.

Perez recounted some of the meals shared after late nights working on helicopters and the interactions they shared.

“About two months ago, he was coming in from Arizona flying in a newly-purchased helicopter, and it lands, and it was like 118 [degrees],” Perez remembered. “He stopped by Blythe and he called me, [and] goes, ‘Pablo, I can’t get my helicopter started!’ I go, ‘Does it have a lithium battery?’ He goes, ‘Yeah, it does. It’s a new helicopter. New battery.’ I say, ‘That’s the problem.'”

With Perez’s guidance, Marciniw put an ice pack on the battery and let it cool off. Within an hour, the engine started, and he was back in the air.

Those phone calls were common between the two. On Tuesday, just hours before the crash, Perez called Marciniw to ask about one of his helicopters he had been working on the past month.

“On Tuesday, about noon, I called him like, ‘Hey, George, you know, I, I need you to choose what type of parts you want to buy, you know – new or repaired cylinders…,'” Perez recounted. “That’s the last time I talked to him, like seven hours before the crash.”

“But he’s a really good guy. He’ll give you the shirt off his back if it, if it came down to it. A high time pilot, real experienced,” Perez explained. He said he was always looking to give back to the community and taught dozens of other pilots how to fly through his flight school. He also flew by the book and never cut corners.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) is continuing its investigation into the crash.

Perez said the circumstances leading up to it could provide some clues; flying low due to a nearby airport and with virtually no airspeed, he called that set of factors dangerous.

“I think there were near Van Nuys Airport. So I think the helicopters have to stay below 500ft because of the airport traffic, you know, and, and at 500 feet, you know, you’re hovering out of ground effect,” Perez said. “For one thing, there’s zero airspeed. And in the helicopter industry, most pilots, they’ll know it’s a dead man’s curve. You know, you got no airspeed, you’re more vulnerable.”

Flying so low to the ground with so little airspeed, Perez said there is only a small window of time to try to maneuver the helicopter.

“He had about maybe six or ten seconds from 500ft to land a helicopter, try to find a place to land,” he explained.

“I’m not going to speculate and let the investigator decide what exactly happened, but there’s definitely it seems like an engine did fail or something happened to the engine because they lost power.”

Perez acknowledged that the investigations will take several months. Between the federal agencies working on finding out what happened to the manufacturers of the helicopter and the engine (Airbus and Turbomeca, respectively), he said there was a lot to uncover.

In the aftermath, though, he hoped his friend could be remembered for who he was.

“He was always… he was a giver. You know, he was a giver. Anything you wanted, you know. He always, ‘Hey, you need something, Pablo? Let me know.'”

“He’s going to be missed, you know.”

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Jessamyn Dodd

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Salton City man accused of murdering a teen was back in court Friday for a hearing, with his defense attorney saying they are ready for trial.

Abraham Feinbloom, 51, appeared in an El Centro courtroom as his attorney, Melanie Rowe, raised several concerns about outstanding evidence she still has not received.

Rowe also told the judge she still has more motions to file, including a motion to compel and motions to exclude evidence.

The court also discussed a confidential paid informant and sensitive discovery that Rowe told the judge she did not feel comfortable downloading on her personal or work computer.

Feinbloom is accused of murdering T’neya Tovar, a 17-year-old girl from Hemet, California, who was reported missing last December.

Her remains were discovered later that month.

Feinbloom is facing one count of murder with a firearm enhancement, and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Jury selection is expected to begin October 6, with the trial expected to take place October 9.

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KESQ News Team

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) — Riverside County Animal Services (RCDAS) is joining BISSELL Pet Foundation’s nationwide Empty the Shelters adoption event, offering reduced adoption fees through September 30.

During the event, cats and dogs can be adopted for $70 or less. All adopted pets are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.

RCDAS currently has more than 1,000 pets available for adoption and continues to face overcrowding at its shelters.

“We want to help as many pets as possible to find loving homes,” said RCDAS Assistant Director Dr. Kimberly Youngberg. “We are still battling significant overcrowding.”

Adoptions are available at:

Coachella Valley Animal Campus: 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus: 581 S. Grand Ave., San Jacinto Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter: 6851 Van Buren Blvd., Jurupa Valley Blythe Animal Shelter: 245 S. Carlton Ave., Blythe

The first three locations are open Tuesday–Friday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., and Saturday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Blythe is open Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents can view adoptable pets at rcdas.org/adopt. Short-term foster opportunities are also available at rcdas.org/foster.

“Come find your new companion and help make space for pets in need,” said Fifth District Supervisor Dr. Yxstian Gutierrez.

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City News Service

RIVERSIDE (CNS) – Despite some sectors of the regional economy fairing well, Riverside County’s unemployment rate rose above 6% last month, according to figures released today by the California Employment Development Department.

The countywide jobless rate in August, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 6.2%, compared to 5.9% in July.

According to figures, the August rate was one-tenth of a percentage point lower than what it was a year ago, when countywide unemployment stood at 6.3%.

The latest EDD estimates indicated Coachella had the highest unemployment rate within the county last month at 12.8%, followed by Cherry Valley at 11.3%, Blythe at 11.1%, Rancho Mirage at 9%, and March Air Reserve Base at 8.8%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties — the Inland Empire — was 5.9%, up from 5.7% in July, the EDD said.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls dropped by the widest margin in the agricultural sector, where about 1,700 positions were recorded as lost in August.

Additional losses occurred in miscellaneous unclassified industries and the information technology sector, which altogether shrank by 600 jobs, according to the EDD.

Regionally, the construction, financial services, health services, hospitality, public and transportation sectors expanded by 6,400 positions, data showed.

The manufacturing, mining and professional and business services sectors were unchanged.

The statewide non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in August was 5.4%.

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KESQ News Team

INDIO, Calif. — A multi-vehicle hit-and-run crash involving a semi-truck caused traffic delays on westbound Interstate 10 between Bob Hope Dr. and Monterey Ave. late Friday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The crash was first reported around 11:13 a.m. and involved a blue Ford, a white sedan and a semi-truck. CHP later reported that a white Honda was involved with the big rig and that a vehicle involved in the crash fled the scene.

The incident was classified as a hit-and-run with injuries. Lanes 2 and 3 were blocked, while emergency crews and heavy-duty tow trucks responded.

Traffic backed up to Cook Street as crews worked to clear the scene. By about 12:02 p.m., CHP reported that traffic was moving again.

We are still waiting for more details from California Highway Patrol and will provide further information when available.

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Raymond Kalra

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Extreme heat is nothing new in the Coachella Valley, but local leaders and researchers say preparing for it increasingly means looking beyond the temperature — and considering what happens when the systems people rely on to stay safe are put under stress.

The City of Palm Springs brought together researchers, public health professionals, emergency managers, community organizations and residents Friday for its inaugural Extreme Heat Summit at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

The discussions ranged from the human toll of extreme heat to shade, infrastructure and emergency preparedness, as the city works on longer-term plans to make Palm Springs more resilient.

Dr. Jenna LeComte-Hinely, CEO of Health Assessment and Research for Communities, or HARC, said extreme heat does not affect everyone equally.

She pointed to people experiencing homelessness, outdoor workers, people with disabilities and those living with chronic diseases as populations that can face greater risks.

“Extreme heat doesn’t necessarily impact everybody the same way. It impacts vulnerable communities more heavily than communities with more assets, more resources,” LeComte-Hinely said.

For people experiencing homelessness, she said the risk can be particularly significant because they may have little opportunity to escape the elements.

But LeComte-Hinely said one of the misconceptions surrounding extreme heat is believing it is only a threat to someone else.

“I think there’s a misconception that it’s someone else, right? Like, it’s not me, when really we all can,” she said.

She pointed to something as simple as a car’s air conditioning failing during the summer as an example of how quickly someone’s circumstances can change.

“You know, it’s something as little as that that can affect every single one of us,” LeComte-Hinely said. “Extreme heat can have an extreme impact on everyone, and it’s important that we have the resources and we know where to go.”

How access to shade and air conditioning can change the risk

Researcher Diego Ramos Aguilera attended Friday’s summit as part of his work examining extreme heat and heat resilience.

He said part of his research looks at how populations are affected differently by high temperatures and what resources people have available to protect themselves.

That can include access to air conditioning or something as seemingly simple as shade while waiting for a bus.

“I’m looking specifically at heat vulnerability and thinking about how populations are impacted differently by the heat and the ways that the people protect,” Ramos Aguilera said.

He said he is also interested in how lessons learned in Palm Springs, where residents already have extensive experience living with extreme heat, could eventually translate to other parts of the country facing increasing heat challenges.

What happens if the A/C stops working?

For Palm Springs emergency officials, preparation also means considering what happens when a major safeguard from the desert heat suddenly disappears.

The city’s emergency manager said a home can become hot quickly when electricity and air conditioning are lost.

If an individual home loses power, residents who can safely do so may need to find another air-conditioned location, including a public building or business, while waiting for service to return.

For a longer and more widespread utility outage, the city’s response could escalate.

“The city could potentially open a cooling center, which would really be one of those city buildings where we would invite people to come in,” Palm Springs’ emergency manager said.

The goal, he said, would be to give residents somewhere safe to cool down until the problem is resolved.

Palm Springs developing shade and heat mitigation plan

City officials are also looking at ways to reduce heat exposure before an emergency happens.

Palm Springs Director of Sustainability Jasmine Fields said the city is currently developing a comprehensive shade and heat mitigation plan.

At Friday’s summit, attendees were being asked where they currently go to find relief from the heat and which locations they believe need improvement.

“We hope that these conversations can help us to prioritize different infrastructure projects, nature based solutions to be able to meet the community’s needs and really meet people where they’re at and their lived experience in Palm Springs,” Fields said.

That community feedback will become one of the factors the city considers as it prioritizes future projects.

Palm Springs Mayor Naomi Soto said addressing extreme heat could include expanding both natural and manufactured shade and reconsidering how spaces throughout the city are designed.

“Fundamentally, we live in a hot place, but we can design better for it,” Soto said. “So that’s everything around having radical shade that is both our tree canopy but also manufactured shade.”

Soto said the city also needs to consider materials, parking lots, private property and commercial areas as part of a broader approach to living with extreme heat.

“We’re not scared or surprised by the heat, but we could be a bit more prepared,” Soto said.

Summit could feed into future emergency planning

Friday’s discussions could also play a role in broader emergency planning.

Palm Springs’ emergency manager said extreme heat is among the concerns being considered as the city works on its hazard mitigation plan.

Ideas generated through the summit could be incorporated into that planning process, which ultimately goes through the state and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The city could then identify mitigation strategies, including shade projects, and potentially pursue grant funding to help pay for them.

Officials stressed the summit itself is the beginning of a larger conversation rather than an immediate solution.

“We’re not changing anything today, but we’re trying to plant those seeds in people’s heads of, hey, let’s have these conversations about extreme heat,” Palm Springs’ emergency manager said.

LeComte-Hinely said she hopes those conversations ultimately result in action.

“I hope they take away new connections, not just new knowledge,” she said. “I want them to come away with new ideas and an action to follow up on.”

News Channel 3 will continue following Palm Springs’ development of its comprehensive shade and heat mitigation plan and other efforts aimed at preparing the community for extreme heat.

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Tommy Gallegos

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is investigating a deadly single-vehicle crash that occurred early Friday morning on Ramona Expressway near State Route 74.

According to CHP, officers responded to the crash at approximately 2 a.m. on September 18, 2026. The preliminary investigation indicates that an unidentified woman was driving a Volkswagen Golf on Ramona Expressway when, for reasons that remain under investigation, the vehicle collided with a traffic signal light pole.

The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Authorities have not determined whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash. The identity of the deceased woman is expected to be released by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who may have information about the crash is asked to contact CHP Officer R. San Nicolas at (951) 846-5300.

No additional details about the circumstances of the crash were immediately available.

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Dakota Makinen

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) — FIND Regional Food Bank officially opened a new Volunteer Service Center Friday, providing volunteers with a climate-controlled space to pack food and support the organization’s food distribution efforts.

FIND says volunteers previously worked in outdoor or non-climate-controlled conditions during the summer, when temperatures in the Coachella Valley can reach 120 degrees.

The new center gives volunteers a dedicated space to work year-round. FIND says volunteers build about 5,000 food boxes each month, including boxes distributed to seniors.

The center’s opening comes during Hunger Action Month, a nationwide effort to raise awareness about food insecurity.

FIND says its volunteers and donors play an important role in providing food to children, families, seniors and other people experiencing food insecurity across the Coachella Valley and surrounding communities.

People interested in supporting FIND can volunteer or donate through the organization’s website.

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