The Region : Man Slain in Shoot-Out With Deputy

A 60-year-old man was killed and a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy shot in a gunfight that erupted after two deputies responded to a family disturbance call in the small desert community of Thermal, about 35 miles southeast of Palm Springs. Crescensio Chavez Sr. was shot inside his home after allegedly opening fire on the deputies and died a short time later at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio, Sgt. Steve Hadley said. Deputy John Ammar, 28, who was shot in the right forearm, was listed in good condition at Kennedy. The second deputy, Wesley Keat, 26, was treated for minor injuries and released. Chavez’s 22-year-old son, Crescensio Jr., and wife, Maria, 58, were arrested in connection with the incident, Hadley said. Authorities have not yet determined why the elder Chavez allegedly opened fire. “It’s a mess right now,” Hadley said.