Suspect Arrested for Assault with a Deadly Weapon 

August 26, 2026 – Riverside County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 10:50 a.m., deputies assigned to the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to Cook Street and Gerald Ford Drive, Palm Desert, regarding an assault with a deadly weapon. Upon arrival, the victim reported that during a road rage incident, a Hispanic male adult approached him yelling and holding a handgun. The suspect left the area in his vehicle headed northbound on Cook Street toward Interstate 10. The victim obtained the suspect’s license plate number and description of the vehicle, which was provided to Riverside Sheriff Dispatch and entered into the Flock Safety System.

Deputies from the Palm Desert Robbery Burglary Suppression Team received a Flock alert indicating the vehicle’s license plate was captured in the area of Indio Boulevard and Madison Street, Indio. Deputies located the vehicle and attempted to conduct a vehicle stop, but the suspect failed to yield, and a pursuit was initiated. With the assistance of the Riverside Sheriff’s K9 Unit, a Pursuit Intervention Technique was used to disable the vehicle, bringing the pursuit to an end in the area of Varner Road and Jefferson Street, Indio.

The suspect, identified as Willard Giron, a 27-year-old resident of Thousand Palms, was taken into custody without incident. Giron was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio for assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a firearm, reckless evading of a peace officer, and violation of post-release community supervision. No injuries were reported during this incident.

This is an ongoing investigation, and no further details will be released. Anyone with information on this crime is asked to call Deputy Himes at 760-836-1600.

Reporting Supervisor: Sergeant Daniel Milbrandt

File # T262370062

Source: Riverside County Sheriff’s Office