A Twentynine Palms man was arrested Thursday after a massive manhunt in Twentynine Palms involving Sheriff deputies and a helicopter. According to Sheriff’s Sergeant Rick Millard, a man called 911 about 11 a.m. to report that someone was inside his vacation home in the 600 block of Bluegrass Avenue, near Pole Line Road and Morongo Road. He told dispatchers the door was locked from the inside and the air conditioning unit was running. Deputies arrived shortly afterward and arrested Andrew Rivas, 27, and a companion. Rivas was handcuffed with his hands behind his back and put into the back of a patrol car, but he managed to kick out the rear left window and escaped, running in a northeasterly direction toward the Ocotillo housing of the Marine base. Millard said Sheriff deputies swarmed the area, searching for Rivas in abandoned cabins, campers, garages, and even in occupied homes. Deputies even called in their helicopter to aid in the search, but Rivas eluded capture for seven hours. Finally, about 6:30 p.m., a witness called to report he saw Rivas running near Pole Line Road and Morongo Road. Deputies finally located Rivas, who still had his hands cuffed behind his back and arrested him for investigation of burglary, escape from custody, and on a $50,000 warrant.
