A wild chase through the streets of Indio ended with a 21-year-old man backing his car into a squad car and getting slapped with charges, authorities said.
Jonathon Daniel Ortiz, hailing from Whittier, led cops on a hair-raising pursuit at 2:16 p.m. Thursday after the Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force and the Thermal Sheriff’s Station responded to reports of a DUI, according to a statement from the Riverside County Sheriff's Office. Multiple calls had been made to authorities reporting the suspect's erratic driving antics.
The chase screeched to a halt eastbound on Interstate 10, east of Coachella, where Ortiz, apparently not thinking straight, put his car in reverse and rammed into law enforcement vehicles positioned behind him. He then surrendered to the officers at the scene.
Lt. Nicolas Lingle with the Riverside County Sheriff's Office stated Ortiz was nabbed for assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, evading, and driving under the influence—though it was fortunate that neither the sheriffs nor the suspect suffered injuries during the confrontation. For those with any knowledge of the incident, they are encouraged to reach out to Investigator Henson by calling (760) 836–1600, an announcement detailed.
The wheels of justice are spinning as Ortiz faces his day in court, with the young man currently being held at the John Benoit Detention Center. The Riverside County Sheriff's Office has announced that the investigation remains ongoing, with no further information available at the time.
