An elementary school was locked down and three people were arrested in Desert Hot Springs following a pursuit Thursday afternoon. Just before 3 p.m., police officers attempted to stop a car with no license plates near Palm Drive and Dillon Road. The driver refused to pull over and led officers on a short pursuit northbound on Palm Drive, while ignoring red traffic lights. The driver, Angelica Cortina, 22, was stopped near Palm Drive and Camino Campanero, and two passengers, later identified as Christian Salas, 24, and Juan Dorado, 29, fled on foot from the vehicle. They were captured near Camino Campanero and Monte Flora by deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, who were assisting in the pursuit.
Bubbling Wells Elementary School, located a few blocks away from where the suspects were stopped, was briefly locked down as a safety precaution. During the investigation, police determined the vehicle had been stolen in Nevada. During a search of the vehicle, officers found ammunition and a replica handgun. Angelica Cortina was arrested on suspicion of evading arrest, vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, and being a felon in possession of ammunition. She was booked into Riverside County Jail with her bail set at $514,000. Christian Salas was arrested on an unrelated charge of being an accessory to murder, possession of a controlled substance, evading arrest, and other charges. He was booked into the Riverside County Jail with his bail set at $540,000. Juan Dorado was arrested for evading arrest and possession of ammunition by a felon. He was booked into the Riverside County Jail with his bail set at $20,000.
