Latest news with #RiversideCountySheriff'sDepartment
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
79-Year-Old Army Veteran in ‘Frail' Health Dies After Being Dragged During Carjacking, Hours Before Meeting Family for Dinner
James Norman, 79, was killed as a result of the injuries he sustained from a carjacking, according to the police Authorities said Norman had been vacuuming the back of his car when the carjacker got in the driver's seat and started dragging him along Officers eventually tracked down the suspect, Ryan Hewitt, 29, who was arrested and booked on charges of carjacking and murderA grandfather and Army veteran was killed after a carjacking incident in California — just hours before he was supposed to meet his family for dinner. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced via a press release that James Norman, a 79-year-old Corona resident, was the victim in the attempted robbery of his SUV, which took place on Monday, May 12. Authorities said deputies from the Norco Sheriff's Station were dispatched around 12:30 p.m. local time to a business along Hidden Valley Parkway, where they spoke with witnesses and reviewed video surveillance footage regarding the incident. Members of the Corona Police Department eventually located a man, identified as Norman, 'east of the initial incident.' They said he was 'suffering from traumatic injuries consistent with being ejected from a vehicle.' Authorities told KABC-TV and KTLA that Norman had been vacuuming the back of his Chevrolet Trailblazer when a suspect got into the driver's seat and drove off, leaving the owner dangling from the SUV's back door. Norman was allegedly dragged about a half-mile up the road before he was eventually ejected from the vehicle, the police told the outlets. After he was found, Norman was "transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased," the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said, per the release. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Once located by police, Norman was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Investigators determined that he had died due to the injuries he had sustained from the carjacking, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said, per the release. After members of Riverside County Sheriff's Office Central Homicide Unit took over the investigation, they were able to track down Norman's SUV in Riverside before detaining a man identified as 29-year-old Ryan Hewitt, who was found near the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and Tyler Street. Upon further investigation, the sheriff's office said Hewitt, also a Corona resident, was 'arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for carjacking and murder.' Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Although the Riverside County Sheriff's Department does not believe there are any other suspects involved in the incident, they said that the investigation into this case is 'active and ongoing.' Norman's daughter, Nicole Lauritsen, told KABC-TV that her father was an Army veteran who had been preparing to meet her and her husband for dinner that night. She said her father 'probably' stopped at an ARCO station 'to clean his car.' She added that 'he was probably waiting for us to call him and say, 'Hey dad, we're on our way now and we're going to come get you.' ' "He didn't have his hearing aids in, so I'm guessing he didn't hear with the vacuum on, and all of a sudden, the car is just backing up," Lauritsen told the outlet. "He was too old and frail to get out before the door slammed on him." Lauritsen told the outlet that she received a call from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department telling her that her dad had 'been in an accident,' and they needed her help to track down his phone. She then told them she had placed an AirTag in the vehicle as a way to keep an eye on her father — something that helped the police track down the SUV and catch the suspect. "I just hope he went quickly and I'm grateful for the people — and I hope to meet them — that surrounded him and protected his body so he wasn't just out in the middle of the road," Lauritsen told KABC-TV. In a GoFundMe created by Norman's family to raise funds for his funeral, he was described as someone who 'lived a modest, basic life, but also an adventurous life.' His family also said, 'He will be remembered for his resilience, his love of life, and his deep commitment to his family.' Read the original article on People
The Star
21-04-2025
- The Star
Canadian drummer arrested on child sexual abuse material charges
Joseph Seiders, drummer for Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers, has been arrested and charged with possessing child sex abuse materials, authorities said. Photo: Riverside County Sheriff's Department Joseph Seiders, drummer for Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers, has been arrested and charged with possessing child sex abuse materials, authorities said. Seiders, 44, is accused of recording young boys with his phone at a Chick-fil-A restaurant bathroom in Palm Desert, California, according to the local sheriff's department. The city of about 50,000 is in the Coachella Valley. Law enforcement responded to a report April 7 of suspicious activity at the fast food restaurant. An 11-year-old boy told them a man recorded him while he was using the bathroom there. Two days later, officers received another report at Chick-fil-A and took Seiders into custody. They searched his home and found evidence connecting him to the two incidents. His charges include possession of child sex abuse materials, molesting a child, and invasion of privacy, the sheriff's department said. The Riverside County Public Defender's Office declined to comment on Seiders' behalf. Authorities believe there may be more victims and are still investigating. The New Pornographers said it has immediately severed ties with Seiders, who joined the band in 2014, in a post on Instagram. "Everyone in the band is absolutely shocked, horrified and devastated by the news of the charges against Joe Seiders,' the post said. – AP
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
Rock drummer accused of recording boys in Chick-fil-A bathroom in Palm Desert
Joseph Seiders, the drummer for rock band The New Pornographers, was arrested recently in Palm Desert, accused of taking cell phone recordings of boys while they were in the bathroom of a Chick-fil-A. Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department responded to a report of a "suspicious circumstance" at 3:55 p.m. on April 7 in the 73-000 block of Dinah Shore Drive in Palm Desert after an 11-year-old boy reported that an "unknown male adult recorded him on a cell phone while he was using the restroom," according to a press release from Sgt. Daniel Milbrandt. Jail records indicate the location of the incident was at Chick-fil-A. Two days later, at 5:01 p.m. on April 9, an employee at the same location reported a man repeatedly entering and exiting the restroom with juvenile males. Suspecting he was the same individual involved in the earlier incident, the employee contacted law enforcement. Upon arrival, deputies located and arrested Seiders, a 44-year-old resident of Palm Desert. Deputies followed up with search warrants for Seiders' home, vehicle and cell phone — finding evidence that investigators said linked him to both reported incidents and other crimes, including possession of child pornography. Seiders was booked April 9 into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio on suspicion of possession of child pornography, annoying/molesting a child, invasion of privacy and attempted invasion of privacy. He remained in custody Friday at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning with a bail set at $1 million and is scheduled to appear in court at the Indio Larson Justice Center at 8:30 a.m. on April 22. The New Pornographers released a statement on Instagram on Thursday night, following the news of Seiders' arrest. "Everyone in the band is absolutely shocked, horrified and devastated by the news of the charges against Joe Seiders — and we have immediately severed all ties with him," the statement read. "Our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by his actions." Seiders joined the Canadian indie rock band after the release of their 2014 album "Brill Bruisers" — three years after the band performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio in 2011. The investigation was ongoing, and sheriff's investigators said they believe there may be additional victims. They asked anyone with information to call Investigator Arnoldo Iñiguez at 760-836-1600 or sheriff's dispatch at 951-776-1099. (This story has been updated to correct a date.) Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Musician recorded children in Chick-fil-A bathroom, sheriff says
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Pornographers Drummer Joe Seiders Arrested For Possession of Child Porn
Joe Seiders, the drummer for indie rock band the New Pornographers, has been arrested on possession of child pornography charges, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department confirmed in a press release Thursday. Soon after the arrest, the band confirmed that Seiders, 44, is no longer a member of the group. 'Everyone in the band is absolutely devastated by the news of the charges against Joe Seiders — and we have immediately severed all ties with him,' the band said in a statement shared on social media. 'Our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by his actions.' More from The Hollywood Reporter Pollstar Awards: Taylor Swift, Stevie Nicks, Chappell Roan Take Home Top Awards Lana Del Rey Releases "Bluebird," Second Single From Newly Untitled Album Star Wars Celebration: Shawn Levy, Ryan Gosling's Movie Is Titled 'Starfighter' The New Pornographers were formed in the '90s, and Seiders joined in 2014, playing drums and singing backup vocals on the band's most-recent three albums Whiteout Conditions, In the Morse Code of Brake Lights and Continue as a Ghost. According to the Sheriff's Department, authorities were first dispatched to a Palm Desert business in the late afternoon on April 7th, speaking with an 11-year-old boy who said an unidentified male had recorded him on his cell phone while the boy was using the restroom. Two days later, authorities got a second report at the same location at just past 5 p.m., after an employee said that a man was 'entering and exiting the restroom with juvenile males at the business.' Authorities identified the man as Seiders and took him into custody. Authorities obtained search warrants for Seiders' residence, cell phone and vehicle and found evidence implicating him in the two reported incidents, as well as other crimes, the release said. Authorities said Seiders was booked into Indio's John Benoit Detention Center for possession of child pornography, annoying/molesting a child, invasion of privacy, and attempted invasion of privacy. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
Miami Herald
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Trump ‘Assassin Guy' Reveals How Accusations Hurt His Family, Dating Life
A man accused by a California sheriff of "probably" being a would-be assassin of President Donald Trump has told Newsweek the allegations have deeply affected his personal life, forcing him into hiding, damaging his relationship with his children and making him less datable. Vem Miller was arrested after a shotgun, a loaded handgun and a high-capacity magazine were found inside his vehicle at a checkpoint ahead of a Trump rally in Coachella Valley in October 2024, according to the sheriff's office. Authorities said Miller was also in possession of fake press passes, driver's licenses and passports—claims he denies. Miller was never charged with attempting to kill the then-presidential candidate. Shortly after the arrest, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told media outlets he and his deputies had "probably stopped another assassination attempt" by detaining Miller. Security and tensions surrounding Trump's public appearances in October were high, following two other apparent attempts on his life in previous months. Miller, who is now suing Bianco for $100 million in a defamation lawsuit filed on March 10, said the allegations—which he vehemently denies—have led to death threats, prevented him from renting vehicles and left him unable to see his children, who live in the United Kingdom. "I went through a very messy divorce. There was a lot of tension and little contact with my children already. But following the Coachella Valley incident, the little contact I had has now gone away because I was dubbed this 'assassin guy,'" Miller told Newsweek during a phone interview. "I've had a difficult time in all aspects of my life," he said. "If you're going to rent something or you're going to date someone, do you choose the person who has 40 pages of controversy online, or do you choose somebody who doesn't have that?" Newsweek has contacted Bianco via the Riverside County Sheriff's Department for comment. In a previous statement to U.K. tabloidDaily Mail, Bianco said: "When asked, I tell people all the time about what he [Miller] did. Facts are facts." The U.S. Attorney's Office, Secret Service and FBI previously said in a joint statement that "the incident did not impact protective operations" and Trump "was not in any danger" when Miller was arrested in Coachella Valley. Miller pleaded not guilty to two counts of possession of a loaded firearm in January. He says one charge will eventually be dropped, because authorities are aware the shotgun was not loaded Miller has denied he ever intended to harm Trump and said he has been a supporter of the Republican for several years. Miller said he was attending the October 12 event as part of his investigative journalism work. He founded the America Happens Network in 2007, which produces a series of online shows and podcasts under its motto, "rage against mainstream media." According to the lawsuit filed against Bianco, Miller did "what he believed was the right thing" by informing Riverside County deputies at the checkpoint, situated about a mile from the rally stage, that he was in possession of firearms. Miller told Newsweek that deputies should have realized the guns in his possession were not the type of "tools one would use for nefarious deeds like an assassination." Bianco told the Southern California News Group in October that Miller allegedly being in possession of fake press passes was enough to "cause the deputies alarm." "We probably stopped another assassination attempt," Bianco said. Bianco told reporters during an October 13 press conference that his deputies "prevented the third assassination attempt." Bianco also told The Epoch Times in a text message that his deputies apprehended someone who "ended up saying he was going to kill the president." Bianco later retracted that statement, telling the newspaper he had received "bad info." The previous month, Trump had been the target of an apparent assassination attempt at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. An armed man allegedly hid in a bush and waited for him for hours, but no shots were fired at the president. In July, a gunman had opened fire at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, leaving Trump with minor injuries. Miller said he "categorically disputes every single thing" Bianco has said about him — including claims that he possessed fake IDs or intended to harm the president. He believes the sheriff used the situation to boost his own political profile. Bianco is a Republican candidate for governor of California in the 2026 election. "It was very clear that this individual was trying to character-assassinate me in order to gain national prominence for his governor run," Miller told Newsweek. "This lawsuit really is about holding individuals like this accountable, because unfortunately, the Chad Bianco types in the United States are becoming the rule and not the exception." Miller said he went into hiding for about two months following numerous death threats and harassment. "It's kind of this double-edged sword. There are people on the right who are p***** off because I'm going after this guy [Bianco], and they don't like that I'm messing with his candidacy," Miller said. "And then on the left side, I'm perhaps seen as this MAGA gun guy." The $100 million defamation suit accuses Bianco of exploiting a "perceived golden opportunity" to boost his own profile by "falsely claiming" he stopped an attempted assassination of Trump. The suit, filed in a California district court, says Bianco demonstrated an "outrageous, reckless disregard" for Miller and his rights with the accusations. "The aftermath of being falsely accused as an attempted presidential assassin has been utterly devastating to Mr. Miller—destroying his previous work opportunities, receiving threats which have led him into hiding, his parents' home being raided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on October 14, 2025, leaving him unable to obtain work, and his ex-wife used those allegations to prevent him from having any contact with his children," the lawsuit states. The lawsuit also alleges Bianco knew federal agencies had "dismissed" the assassination theory but still "falsely and maliciously" pushed the claim to the press. Miller filed a similar lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Nevada in October, shortly after his arrest. Related Articles 'Hands Off!' 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