3 Coachella Valley Teens Suspected Of Firing On Deputies

Three young men from Thermal were behind bars Monday, after allegedly shooting at deputies in the Coachella Valley.

The 18-year-olds — Guillermo Alexander Martinez, Eric Diaz Orozco, and Gustavo Isbojet Barrera Pena — are each being held in county jail on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer. Jail records show bail at $1 million each.

The arrests followed an investigation that began shortly before 10 p.m. Dec. 5. Deputies were dispatched to a report of a shooting into an inhabited dwelling in the 88000 block of Avenue 70 in Thermal.

Several deputies arrived and found evidence of gunfire. While on scene, a vehicle drove onto the street and an occupant fired multiple rounds in the direction of the deputies, striking one of the patrol vehicles, according to the sheriff's department.

No deputies were injured, and no deputies returned fire, the law enforcement agency reported.

The deputies pursued the vehicle but eventually lost sight of it.

The search continued, and in the early morning hours of Dec. 6, deputies found an abandoned vehicle in Thermal's 63000 block of Landon Lane. It matched the suspect vehicle’s description, so deputies searched the area and found Barrera Pena. He tried to flee on foot but was ultimately detained, according to the sheriff's department.

Barrera Pena was booked into Riverside's Robert Presley Detention Center the night of Dec. 6.

On Monday, the sheriff's department announced two more arrests in the case: Martinez and Diaz Orozco. Jail records show they were taken into custody early Monday morning.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact Master Investigator R. Ramirez or Sr. District Attorney Investigator E. Crosson at 951-955-2777.