Victim identified in fatal Palm Springs crash

Indio man, caught dumping illegally in the desert, attacked witness with a truck, authorities say

Brett Kelman
Palm Springs Desert Sun
Police tape

Coachella Valley law enforcement is looking for an Indio man who was photographed dumping unwanted furniture in the desert, then allegedly chased the witness who took pictures of him with a pickup truck and tried to run him off the road, according documents filed in county court.

Juventino Duran, 52, allegedly tried to force the other vehicle off the road repeatedly on March 13 in the Long Canyon area outside of Desert Hot Springs. The incident was revealed earlier this month when a judge issued a warrant for Duran’s arrest.

Prosecutors have charged the original crime, illegal dumping, as a mere infraction – no more serious than a speeding ticket. The attack that followed, however, is being treated as an assault with a deadly weapon – a felony.

Duran was not in custody as of Tuesday, according to jail records. 

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The Long Canyon area is federal land, controlled by the Bureau of Land Management, so the case was investigated by BLM law enforcement rangers.

The rangers appear to have identified Duran by following clues from the witness' photos. The man in the photographs was driving a truck belonging to Foss Resale House, a thrift store in La Quinta. The rangers later went to that store in June, where they encountered a worker who looked like the suspect in the photos.

That man was Duran, court documents say. When a ranger tried to question him, he fled out the back door of the store and escaped.

A warrant for Duran's arrest was issued on Nov. 14.

Duran has been charged with illegal dumping, assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.

A Foss manager said Duran no longer worked for the store. The store owner did not return a request for comment.

Investigative reporter Brett Kelman can be reached at 760 778 4642 or by email at brett.kelman@desertsun.com. You can follow him on Twitter @tdsBrettKelman.