Rancho Mirage, California – A judge ruled on Thursday that a convicted felon, Jason Edward Hershey, must face trial for his alleged involvement in igniting an explosive device that caused damage on a highway in Rancho Mirage. Hershey, 50, was arrested in 2021 following an investigation into the Halloween 2020 explosion. The Riverside County Superior Court Judge Kristi Hester found enough evidence to proceed with the trial on charges of using a destructive device and vandalism.
Hershey’s co-defendant, 60-year-old Michael Henry Hardisty of Cathedral City, was sentenced to six years in state prison in August 2022 after admitting to the same charges as Hershey. The explosion occurred on October 31, 2020, along Highway 111, between Peterson Road and Country Club Drive. Debris from the explosion spread across six traffic lanes, but fortunately, no motorists were harmed.
Law enforcement officials, including sheriff’s detectives, FBI agents, and ATF agents, collaborated in the investigation that led to the arrests of Hershey and Hardisty in May 2021. Although no specific motive for the explosion has been disclosed, court records reveal Hershey’s prior convictions for receiving stolen property, burglary, and possession of controlled substances. Hershey is currently out on his own recognizance.
The post-preliminary hearing arraignment for Hershey is scheduled for May 23 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. Authorities have yet to uncover the full extent of the damage caused by the explosion and are continuing to investigate the incident. The community remains vigilant as the legal proceedings unfold in this case of destructive behavior in Rancho Mirage.