UPDATED: Charges Expected Against Man Accused of Threatening to Kill Employees

INDIO (CNS) – A 37-year-old man who allegedly pulled a knife and threatened to kill employees at a Palm Desert country club pleaded not guilty Friday to felony charges. Jeffrey Bryson Searcy of Palm Desert was charged with one felony count each of deterring an officer and dissuading a witness from reporting a suspected crime along with a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a weapon during a felony offense, according to court records. He also faces one misdemeanor count each of trespassing on real property without consent and exhibiting a deadly weapon not in self defense. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied the allegation Friday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. Deputies responded around 12:30 p.m. Monday to the 41500 block of Woodhaven Drive to a report of a man who pulled a knife and threatened to kill employees, according to Sgt. Bryan Whitley and Lt. Chris Willison of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. An extensive search was conducted in the area but Searcy, the suspect, was not found that day, authorities said. On Wednesday morning, deputies did a welfare check on him in the 77600 block of South Woodhaven Drive, where Searcy allegedly said he was armed with a gun and would shoot anyone who tried to assist him. Deputies called additional resources and established a perimeter to ensure the safety of community members, according to Whitley and Willison. Searcy was taken into custody after several hours of negotiations. Searcy was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where he remains held on $1 million bail, according to inmate records. "No one was injured as a result of this incident and there is no further threat to the community," Whitley and Willison said in a statement. "We would like to thank the affected residents of Palm Desert for their continued patience and their assistance during this high-risk incident." Authorities additionally encouraged residents to be vigilant and get to know their neighbors in case a similar incident occurs in their neighborhood, stating that building neighborly relationships keeps everyone safe. Anyone with additional information on the criminal threats was asked to call Deputy Ford of the Palm Desert sheriff’s station at 760-836-1600 or Valley Crime Stoppers anonymously at 760-341-7867 (STOP). Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.