The Palm Springs police chief expressed his frustration at having to deal with repeat offenders after an arrest for alleged drunken driving escalated into an assault on a police officer, according to an April 11 Facebook post by the Palm Springs Police Department (PSPD).
According to PSPD, a Desert Hot Springs woman headbutted an officer and tried to kick out the windows of the police cruiser while being arrested for driving while intoxicated.
The arrest came about after police responded to reports of a vehicle facing the wrong way on the 300 block of S. Palm Canyon Drive and partially off the roadway, according to the report. The driver was identified as 25-year-old Melinda Haley with a history of driving under the influence (DUI).
In addition to allegedly assaulting an officer by headbutting him, police said Haley spat on several officers as they tried to restrain her and later spat on emergency medical services (EMS) workers as they sought to examine her for possible injuries.
Further investigation revealed that Haley's license had been revoked and that, as a result of a previous DUI, she was still on probation.
In the Facebook post, Police Chief Andy Mills said, "As the chief of police, it's beyond frustrating to see a repeat DUI offender continue to put innocent lives in danger. The fact that this suspect also chose to assault the officers attempting to make the arrest only compounds the gravity of their actions. It's unacceptable, and we will continue to pursue all legal avenues to ensure that justice is served and that our officers are protected from such senseless acts of violence."
When Haley was finally booked at John Benoit Detention Center in Indio, the charges went beyond the initial violation of DUI. Additional charges are resisting arrest, assault on a peace officer and violation of probation. She also faced a warrant pertaining to a previous DUI with injury.