Men Charged in Indio Pursuit and Neighborhood Search Plead Guilty

Indio, CA Two young men who led police on a vehicle and foot pursuit triggered by reports of gunfire in an Indio residential neighborhood pleaded guilty today to evading arrest and concealed firearm charges. Jonathan Bates and Jaime Mejia, both 19, are scheduled to be sentenced July 7. Indio police responded at 10:22 a.m. Jan. 4 to reports of gunshots fired near Sierra Avenue and Paseo Cielo. Residents provided police with a description of the suspects’ dark-colored SUV, which was spotted by patrolling officers about 30 minutes later, Sgt. Daniel Marshall said. Story: Charges Filed Against Men Allegedly Involved in Indio Pursuit, Police Search The driver, later identified as Mejia, refused to pull over, triggering a three-minute pursuit that ended when both men and a 15-year-old boy bailed out of the SUV and took off on foot in different directions in the vicinity of Miles and Santa Rosa avenues. All three suspects were taken into custody by around 1 p.m. Story: Man Charged with Fatally Assaulting 4-Year-Old Hemet Boy Mejia pleaded guilty to evading arrest and carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, while Bates pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed firearm. Other charges, including possession of a large-capacity magazine and vandalism, are expected to be dismissed at sentencing.