Transient Arrested for Attacking Gay Men in Palm Springs

Photo courtesy of Palm Springs PD

By City News Service

A transient was behind bars Friday for allegedly attacking gay men at random last week outside of businesses in Palm Springs.

Joshua Wade Johnson, 30, was arrested Thursday afternoon after being captured by an alleged victim and a witness, moments after an attempted attack, police Lt. Mike Kovaleff said.

In the first suspected attack, police were called about 4:45 p.m. last Saturday to the 1800 block of North Palm Canyon Drive, regarding a report of a battery.

Officers spoke with a 71-year-old male victim and several witnesses and determined that a suspect, later identified as Johnson, approached the man as he waked out of a business there and asked him his sexual orientation, Kovaleff said.

When the victim responded that he was gay, Johnson allegedly punched and kicked him repeatedly, then ran away, the lieutenant said.

The victim, who was not identified, sought medical treatment on his own later for an unspecified injury suffered in the attack, Kovaleff said.

Investigators identified Johnson as the suspect but did not know his whereabouts.

On Thursday, police were called about 4:30 p.m. to a report of a fight in progress in the 63000 block of 20th Avenue.

Officers determined that Johnson walked up to a 22-year-old man outside of a business there, and asked him for spare change, Kovaleff said. When the man declined to give him Money, Johnson allegedly made a derogatory remark and asked the victim his sexual orientation.

The man said he was gay, and Johnson allegedly tried to attack the man but the punches missed, hitting the victim harmlessly in the shoulder, police said.

The victim and a witness held Johnson down until police arrived, Kovaleff said.

Johnson was being held at the Riverside County jail in Indio on $25,000 bail, for investigation of battery causing serious injury, elder abuse and a hate crime, jail records show.

He was scheduled to appear in court Monday.