(KESQ) - A felon accused of carjacking a motorist at knifepoint in Calimesa and leading law enforcement officers on a chase into the Coachella Valley must stand trial on kidnapping and other charges was arrested last month following the pursuit by Riverside County sheriff's deputies and Palm Springs police officers At the end of a preliminary hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice Friday Superior Court Judge Emma Smith found there was sufficient evidence to bound Mata over for trial on the kidnapping count eluding a peace officer and sentence-enhancing allegations of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony and committing a felony while on probation The judge scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for May 2 at the Banning Justice Center Mata remains held in lieu of $200,000 bail at the nearby Smith Correctional Facility Kirby Wooldridge said that shortly after 9 a.m the defendant allegedly confronted a motorist in a Nissan Altima in Calimesa brandished a knife and directed the victim The driver stopped in Banning and was able to get away from the probationer the defendant picked up a friend and the two continued eastward in the stolen car patrol deputies initiated a search for the Nissan spotting it in the area of Haugen-Lehman Way and Tamarack Road in Whitewater "Due to the suspect's dangerous driving actions deputies discontinued the pursuit,'' Wooldridge said Palm Springs Police Department officers located the vehicle on Indian Canyon Drive The sheriff's spokesman alleged that both Mata and his friend fled from the car on foot but were quickly apprehended and taken into custody without further incident investigators determined they had nothing to do with the carjacking or chase and was let go Court records show he has a prior conviction in Riverside County for making criminal threats as well as convictions in another jurisdiction that weren't listed News Channel 3 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines KESQ-TV FCC Public File | KPSP-TV FCC Public File | KDFX-TV FCC Public File | EEO Report | FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information 2024 at 12:24 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The California Highway Patrol was continuing to investigate the crash CA — An 18-year-old man was killed on Interstate 10 in Calimesa when he apparently lost control of his vehicle and it went off the freeway Rodrigo Lucero of San Bernardino was fatally injured around 12:30 a.m Tuesday on westbound I-10 at Cherry Valley Boulevard according to the California Highway Patrol Officer Edward Nunez told City News Service that Lucero was driving his 2008 Honda Civic at an unconfirmed speed in the No but the driver was not ejected," Nunez said adding that Lucero had been wearing his seatbelt The sedan came to rest just below the intersection of Cherry Valley and Calimesa boulevards Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene 15 minutes later "It is unknown whether alcohol or drugs were factors in this crash," Nunez said there were no details regarding where Lucero had come from Three people were injured after a multi-vehicle hit-and-run collision in Calimesa on Tuesday afternoon According to the California Highway Patrol the freeway crash happened around 12:30 p.m just west of the Sandalwood Drive exit ramp CHP said that a red pickup truck crashed into four other vehicles on I-10 at an unconfirmed speed before quickly driving eastbound away from the scene and toward Palm Springs Three people from the three other vehicles involved suffered injuries as a result of the incident They were all taken to a nearby hospital for further medical care There is no word yet about the fourth vehicle involved in the hit-and-run crash and none of the parties involved have been identified publicly Authorities have yet to release an official description of the suspect No license plate information was also provided Additional details were not immediately available and the authorities are still gathering all the necessary information to determine the factors leading up to the collision If you or someone you care about was injured in a hit-and-run accident around the area, you have the option to either file a legal case or make an insurance claim. Our injury law firm in Calimesa is here to help you who specialize in hit-and-run accidents under the supervision of Arash Khorsandi Get a complimentary first meeting with our legal experts. We will evaluate your case, suggest the necessary actions, and analyze the critical elements that may affect the settlement offer you could receive our lawyers can assist you if obtaining further information or a police report proves challenging Our dependable Calimesa hit-and-run accident attorneys will advocate for your rights and skillfully represent you in any required legal proceedings. Our legal practice has obtained over $750 million in compensation for clients in California You can rest easy knowing that you are working with the best There are specific measures you can take to safeguard your rights to obtain compensation following an unfortunate hit-and-run accident Not only can they help authorities apprehend the driver but they can also support your claim for proper compensation I HAD AN ACCIDENT ValuePenguin’s study shows that 2,783 reported hit-and-run accidents were fatal in 2021 That is up by 89.4% from the same metric recorded in 2012 (1,469) the percentage of fatal crashes involving hit-and-runs also surged during this period 7% of fatal crashes resulted from hit-and-runs According to the latest California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) report, Calimesa recorded 4  fatalities and injuries involving hit-and-runs in 2021. Six people were injured following a five-vehicle crash on the northbound 15 Freeway near Highway 138 in the Cajon Pass A bicyclist sustained serious injuries after being hit by a vehicle in Sacramento on Saturday evening According to the Sacramento Police Department and another woman and two children sustained injuries following a two-vehicle head-on crash in El Dorado Hills A motorcyclist was killed following a suspected DUI crash in Merced on Saturday afternoon Two young men were killed following a suspected DUI crash in Fresno on Friday night and two others sustained non-life-threatening injuries following a multi-vehicle collision in the Westlake community of Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon California’s Powerhouse Accident Lawyers With a consecutively proven track record Disclaimer: Not every one of our firm’s attorneys has received the recognitions stated here Visit the attorneys’ specific profile page under the ‘Our Firm’ tab for specific attorney recognitions (888) 488-1391 Do I Have A Case? Let’s Chat 2960 Wilshire Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 9001024hr Local Line: (213) 277-587824hr Local Line: (310) 277-7529Available by appointment only 333 University Ave. #200Sacramento, CA 9582524hr Local Line: (916) 414-9552Available by appointment only 505 Montgomery St. #1000San Francisco, CA 9411124hr Local Line: (415) 969-7799Available by appointment only 15233 Ventura Blvd. #500Sherman Oaks, CA 9140324hr Local Line: (818) 696-4440Available by appointment only 99 South Almaden Blvd. #600San Jose, CA 9511324hr Local Line: (408) 766-3161Available by appointment only 11801 Pierce St. #200Riverside, CA 9250524hr Local Line: (951) 530-4659Available by appointment only 8880 Rio San Diego Dr #800San Diego, CA 9210824hr Local Line: (619) 431-4840Available by appointment only 185 N. Hill Ave. #201Pasadena, CA 9110624hr Local Line: (626) 723-3933Available by appointment only This website is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal advice Please do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read on this site Using this site or communicating with the law offices of arash khorsandi through this site does not form an attorney/Client relationship Copyright © 2025 The Law Office of Arash Khorsandi Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Accessibility | Careers WE’VE RECOVERED OVER $750 MILLION FOR OUR CLIENTS Manages Mail Delivery & Retail Services for Calimesa Community CALIMESA – Joseph Meza was recently named the Postmaster of the Calimesa Post Office Meza supervises nine employees and oversees retail services at the Calimesa Post Office and the daily distribution of mail on four delivery routes and to 1,200 PO Boxes at his facility He replaces former Calimesa Postmaster Sharon Carr Meza is an eight-year postal employee who began his career as a mail carrier and most recently served as a supervisor at the Perris Post Office “I’m proud and honored to have been selected for this position,” said Meza “I hope to further the Postal Service’s legacy of outstanding customer service and to contribute to the overall success of the organization “As outlined in USPS’s Delivering for America plan we are modernizing and continually adapting to the changing needs of our customers whether they’re located in a big city or a small community “I want to express my gratitude to family for their support throughout my career to my mentors Thomas Rodriguez and Shane Seitz for their guidance and encouragement and to the leadership team at the USPS San Diego District office for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.” Meza was born in Riverside and raised in Romoland He graduated from Heritage High School and currently resides in Menifee His hobbies include participating in a variety of athletic activities and working out The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America restore long-term financial sustainability dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage products and services to fund its operations Copyright© 2025 United States Postal Service The Lord Jesus fulfilled His promise to His servant Ann and Jamil Wakim met for the first time in January 2012 and they became friends for life Ann was baptized and joined Immanuel Baptist Church The Lord blessed their marriage and they volunteered to serve in the Ministry of Operation Christmas Child (OCC) year-round at Active Church Ann was chosen as OCC Church Relations Coordinator and Jamil was chosen as OCC Administrative Support Team Member the Lord blessed the OCC Ministry in the Inland Empire East A Celebration of Life for Ann will be held at Pathway Church in Redlands guests are invited to the Pathway Gathering Point for fellowship *All obituaries are submitted by family and friends of the deceased Please enter the amount you would like to give and click continue Estos voluntarios de year-round (de todo el año) sirven en posiciones de liderazgo apoyo administrativo o relaciones de estudiantes para promover el trabajo de Operation Christmas Child en cada temporada Estos voluntarios enseñan el curso de discipulado La Gran Aventura a los que reciben las cajas de regalos y capacitan a otros en cómo dar este estudio de 12 lecciones Estos voluntarios de corto tiempo le dan la bienvenida a los donantes y cargan sus cargas preciosas en los camiones de los casi 5.000 centros en todo el país Estos voluntarios comparten el Evangelio en eventos evangelísticos donde las cajas de regalos se entregan Estos voluntarios capacitan a pastores y líderes regionales para ser anfitriones de los eventos evangelísticos de Operation Christmas Child y para capacitar a los maestros de La Gran Aventura También ayudan a coordinar la logística de entrega de las cajas de regalos en su país Estos voluntarios de corto tiempo preparan las cajas de regalos para los envíos internacionales en los ocho centros de EE.UU.: Atlanta; Boone Carolina del Norte; Baltimore; Charlotte; Chicago; Denver; Dallas y el Sur de California Estos voluntarios de de todo el año coordinan el empaque y recolección de cajas para sus iglesias o grupos Estos Voluntarios de corto plazo dan la bienvenida a los donadores y suben su preciosa carga a los camiones en cerca de 5,000 lugares alrededor del país Estos voluntarios enseñan el curso de discipulado de La Gran Aventura a quienes reciben cajas de regalos y entrenan a otros en cómo dirigir el estudio de 12 lecciones Estos voluntarios temporales coordinan el empacado y la recolección de cajas de regalos para su iglesia o grupo Estos voluntarios entrenan pastores y líderes comunitarios para llevar a cabo los eventos de evangelismo de Operation Christmas Child y también capacitan a maestros para La Gran Aventura También ayudan a coordinar la logística de la entrega de las cajas de regalos en sus países Estos voluntarios de corto plazo preparan cajas de regalos para envío internacional en ocho lugares alrededor de Estados Unidos: Atlanta; Boone Carolina del Norte; Baltimore; Charlotte; Chicago; Denver; Dallas y Sur de California Estos voluntarios comparten el Evangelio en eventos de evangelismo donde se entregan las cajas de regalos Los niños que completan las 12 lecciones reciben un certificado de graduación Este recuerdo oficial de sus logros es un tesoro para muchos de estos niños el graduado del programa "La Gran Aventura" recibe un Nuevo Testamento en su propio idioma Este es usualmente la primer copia de las Escrituras que el estudiante y su familia tienen This colorful 12-lesson resource equips the student to follow along with the story This in-depth manual helps instructors apply Bible stories to their students’ lives to encourage the boys and girls to re-tell them to others The Greatest Journey teachers are taught to be good storytellers who ask questions of children to keep them engaged This method allows nonliterate cultures to participate and equips teachers to continue discipleship lessons with their students long after they complete the workbook o Relaciones Estudiantiles para promover el trabajo de Operation Christmas Child en cada temporada ¿Buscas Operation Christmas Child en español? Solo cuesta $6 proveer libros para las lecciones y una Biblia para que un niño participe en este programa de discipulado de Samaritan’s Purse It only costs $10 to provide a Bible or Christian literature for a family in need through the Christmas catalog Este librito invita a los niños a recibir el mejor regalo de Dios Este recurso equipa a las iglesias locales con información en cómo organizar una distribución compartir el Evangelio e invitar a niños y niñas a participar en el discipulado de seguimiento Examples Include t-shirts (size adult large or smaller) Para preguntas sobre tu producto o servicio que deseas donar en especie contáctanos por medio del formulario abajo Millions of shoeboxes and thousands of volunteers take up a lot of space You can help us each fall by donating empty warehouse space to be used as a processing center A facility from 30,000 to 100,000 square feet is needed near Atlanta muchos niños tienen la oportunidad de aprender más del Evangelio por medio de nuestro discipulado bíblico la "Gran Aventura" Puedes donar para imprimir las guías de los líderes libros para las lecciones o Nuevos Testamentos It only costs $6 to provide lesson books and a Bible for a boy or girl participating in the Samaritan’s Purse discipleship program. Learn more ￫ provides one shoebox recipient with a 12 lecciones and the guidance of a trained teacher/mentor in the community Only giving online through Follow Your Box will enable you to discover the destination of your shoebox gift Attach a Follow-Your-Box tracking label to your shoebox, and you can use our Lookup Tool to find out the country where your box will be delivered with the message of Christ’s love Your $9 per gift donation is critical in helping with shoebox processing, shipping, and gospel materials. Learn more ￫ A step-by-step suggested presentation of the Gospel appears in the Ministry Partner Guide along with a series of two-panel posters that illustrate the text This guide fosters consistency in how the Good News is presented during Operation Christmas Child outreach events Este recurso a color de 12 lecciones permite al estudiante a seguir la historia y hacer actividades en clase o como tarea en casa este folleto de historias del Evangelio presenta a Cristo a niños y niñas y los invita a seguirlo ¡Algunos niños consideran esta pieza de su caja de regalo como su favorita En la Guía de Compañeros de Ministerio aparece una presentación del Evangelio paso a paso junto con una serie de posters de dos paneles que ilustran el texto Esta guía promueve consistencia en cómo presentar las Buenas Nuevas durante los eventos de evangelismo de Operation Christmas Child Este manual detallado ayuda a los instructores a aplicar historias Bíblicas en las vidas de sus estudiantes para animar a los niños y niñas a volverlas a contar a otros se enseñan a los maestros de La Gran Aventura a ser buenos contadores de historias que hacen preguntas a los niños para mantenerlos atentos Este método permite a las culturas analfabetas a participar y capacita a los maestros a continuar las lecciones de discipulado con sus estudiantes mucho después de que ellos hayan completado el libro de trabajo Los niños que completan las 12 lecciones reciben un certificado en la graduación Este momento oficial de su logro es un recuerdo preciado para muchos Este folleto invita a los niños a recibir el Mejor Regalo de parte de Dios—Su Hijo Jesucristo Este recurso capacita a las iglesias locales con información de cómo organizar una distribución los graduados de La Gran Aventura reciben un Nuevo Testamento en su propio idioma Esta puede ser la primera copia de las Escrituras que ellos o sus familias han tenido this Gospel story booklet introduces boys and girls to Christ and invites them to follow Him Some children find this piece to be their favorite part of their shoebox gift Una donación de $6 dólares provee a un niño la oportunidad de participar en el programa de discipulado de Samaritan´s Purse, cubriendo el costo del libro del estudiante y una Biblia. Más información ￫ Únicamente al realizar tu donación en línea a través de Follow Your Box podrás descubrir el destino de tu caja de regalos Agrega una etiqueta Follow Your Box a tu caja de regalos y podrás utilizar el Buscador para conocer el país al que esta llegará con el mensaje del amor de Cristo Tu donativo de $9 nos ayuda a cubrir los costos de procesamiento de las cajas, envío y los materiales de evangelismo. Conoce más ￫ prestar por corto tiempo o donar el alquiler instrumento musical pequeño "kazoo" o armónica millones de cajas de regalos son recogidas en miles de centros de entrega en todos los 50 estados y Puerto Rico Buscamos compañías interesadas en donar transporte a precio de descuento a nivel estatal o nacional televisión o en línea puede ser de tremendo impacto para inspirar a otras personas a empacar cajas de regalos Regalos como boletos para eventos o atracciones se pueden convertir en incentivos que se pueden usar durante la promociones especiales o concursos de Operation Christmas Child A 39-year-old dump truck driver accused of causing a deadly 1,000-acre blaze in Calimesa by intentionally dropping flaming debris from his rig in the middle of a windstorm pleaded not guilty today to felony charges Antonio Ornelas Velazquez of Desert Hot Springs was charged last year with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of burning an inhabited structure, with sentence-enhancing great bodily injury allegations, for the October 2019 blaze The defendant was arraigned before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Mark Singerton who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Aug 15 at the Banning Justice Center.   The defendant was arrested in February 2021 following a 14-month investigation by Cal Fire peace officers and Riverside County sheriff's detectives "The Sandalwood Fire was caused by a burning load of trash that was dumped next to dry vegetation by the trash truck that Velazquez was operating," according to a Cal Fire statement released at the time.   the defendant noticed smoke rising from the scoop of the CR&R truck he was driving on Sandalwood Drive Against the advice of a motorist and another truck driver who pulled up behind him and warned of the dangers of allowing burning material into the open amid high winds Velazquez "dumped the burning load onto the ground" directly adjacent to brush along the roadway according to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.   Santa Ana winds gusting to 40 mph quickly pushed the flames into the Villa Calimesa Mobile Home Park Hannah Labelle, 61, and Lois Arvikson, 89, were killed as the flames swept over their properties Seventy-two structures were completely destroyed The blaze charred a total of 1,011 acres before it was stopped just inside San Bernardino County four days later.   Lawsuits were filed against CR&R weeks afterward and are pending.    Velazquez has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County 2022 at 2:07 pm PTThe center will be situated on more than 100 acres at Singleton and Roberts roads (Birtcher Development)An artist's rendering of the Birtcher Oak Valley Commerce Center at Singleton and Roberts roads in Calimesa CA — Construction is underway to build a mega logistics center in Calimesa All the necessary approvals to construct the Birtcher Oak Valley Commerce Center at Singleton and Roberts roads have cleared Newport Beach-based Birtcher Development announced Tuesday The center will be situated on more than 100 acres and includes four buildings totaling 2.25 million square feet Construction is expected to be complete by fall 2024 An 80-acre retail center is also planned adjacent to the logistics facility The retail site is expected to be completed by early 2025 "Birtcher Oak Valley Commerce Center is poised to be one of our most strategic assets in Southern California The project is located next to the I-10 freeway — a primary cross-country truck route — and will be supported by a strong labor base with the eventual buildout of 30,000 new homes planned for the region,” said Brooke Birtcher Gustafson managing director for Birtcher Development “Limited supply and strong tenant demand continue to drive unprecedented pre-leasing activity for new construction in the Inland Empire and 60% of the total new construction pipeline currently pre-leased we are optimistic about the project’s construction and delivery timeline through 2024.” Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency (SGPWA) supports South Mesa Water Company (SMWC) as the small water agency implements a $10.2 million grant from the State Water Resource Control Board The SGPWA Board of Directors approved a plan at its March 4, 2024 meeting to bridge a funding gap that brings infrastructure improvements to the cities of Calimesa and Yucaipa The new plan serves the area with imported water for the first time SMWC will replace approximately 50,229 linear feet of water distribution pipelines and accessories through a Proposition 68 grant and the SGPWA’s gap funding assistance According to a press release the accessories are considered to be undersized and have exceeded their useful life Gap funding allows for small water systems to utilize state funding when they lack the financial reserves to take on the up-front costs of accepting a grant There can be a delay of up to six months between paying a contractor and receiving a reimbursement from the grant provider The press release states that SMWC’s service area has “been identified as a severely disadvantaged community with a median household income of $34,299 and the pipelines are crucial to ensuring dependable water service for local homes and businesses.” SMWC and the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (SBVMWD) is a collaborative project that will facilitate movement of State Water Project (SWP) water to a future recharge facility on 4th Street There the SMWC’s service area will access imported water for the first time The press release states that the County Line Road Project will enable the recharge of up to 1,500 acre-feet of water in the Calimesa area for the Yucaipa Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency This is enough water to serve 4,500 households SGPWA is considering extending assistance through gap funding to multiple water retailers in the region including Banning Heights Mutual Water Company and High Valleys Water District 2024 at 3:44 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The California Highway Patrol was investigating CA — A fatal crash Monday afternoon prompted a closure along westbound Interstate 10 near Calimesa a vehicle went off the freeway just west of Live Oak Canyon Road and rolled over was on its side in a ditch up against a chainlink fence witnesses told the California Highway Patrol Several motorists stopped to help but at least one person perished at the scene The Live Oak onramp to westbound I-10 was closed Learn about the top education options near Calimesa a beautiful SoCal city with plenty of options Nestled in the scenic heart of Southern California, Calimesa is a charming city that is within striking distance of some of the state's most reputable colleges and universities For students and families in and around Calimesa looking to pursue higher education the options are as diverse as they are promising Here's a look at the top five colleges near Calimesa each offering its unique blend of academic excellence and campus life Just about 20 miles west of Calimesa, UCR stands as a beacon of higher education in the Inland Empire Part of the prestigious University of California system it's known for its strong programs in business and research opportunities make it a top choice for many its location offers easy access to the cultural and recreational activities of the Greater Los Angeles area CSUSB offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs the university provides a well-rounded educational experience Its focus on community engagement and service learning is also a significant draw for students who wish to make a positive impact in their communities Situated about 15 miles from Calimesa, LLU is unique for its focus on health sciences Seventh-day Adventist institution is renowned for its medical Its emphasis on whole-person care and service makes it an ideal choice for those pursuing a career in healthcare Redlands University is a hidden gem among Southern California's educational institutions private liberal arts college is celebrated for its personalized education with small class sizes and a high level of student-faculty interaction and environmental studies are complemented by a close-knit campus community For those looking for a more flexible or cost-effective start to their college journey This community college offers a variety of transfer programs to four-year universities Its scenic campus and supportive learning environment make it a great place to begin higher education Each of these institutions offers a unique educational experience providing an array of options for students in the Calimesa area Whether you're seeking a large university environment or the intimate setting of a liberal arts college these schools cater to a wide spectrum of interests and career aspirations it's essential to consider factors such as academic programs and location to find the best fit for your educational journey Calimesa's proximity to these diverse institutions makes it an ideal starting point for an enriching and fulfilling college experience Does your business rank among the best in California Learn more about our selection criteria and vetting process We’ll be your trustee Little Tokyo guide with a day’s worth of fun things to do in Little Tokyo If you're looking for something fun to do there are plenty of fun and free things to do in San Francisco Feel the knowledge flood from its elegant red-tile roofs as you wander the town’s beautiful college campus in search of hidden finds Enjoy the perfect California spring weather at these ideal spots for a spring vacation in California Check your inbox soon for the latest from California.com.