A Twentynine Palms man was arrested Thursday, accused of driving his vehicle toward a bystander while fleeing after shoplifting. According to a Sheriff’s report, Ryan Markwell, 26, was shoplifting at the Dollar General in Twentynine Palms about 3:30 p.m. Thursday. When the store manager attempted to stop him, Markwell left the store and got into a silver Nissan Pathfinder to leave. Another man was in the parking lot walking to the store when he said Markwell drove directly at him, swerving at the last minute, when he was about a foot away, and then sped off. The pedestrian said he was in fear for his life. Deputies located Markwell at his residence in the 72000 block of El Paseo Drive in Twentynine Palms about 5 p.m. Ryan Markwell was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and on a drug-related warrant, and was booked into the West Valley Detention Center with his bail set at $50,000.
