Rancho Mirage, California – A convicted felon accused of participating in setting off an explosive device that caused damage along a highway in Rancho Mirage will face trial for charges of using a destructive device and vandalism. Jason Edward Hershey, 50, was taken into custody in 2021 after an extensive investigation into the Halloween 2020 explosion. The ruling came after a preliminary hearing on Thursday, where Riverside County Superior Court Judge Kristi Hester determined that there was enough evidence to move forward with the case against Hershey. The post-preliminary hearing arraignment is set for May 23 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
Hershey’s co-defendant, Michael Henry Hardisty, 60, from Cathedral City, was sentenced to six years in state prison in August 2022 after admitting to the same charges Hershey is facing. The explosion, which occurred on October 31, 2020, on Highway 111 between Peterson Road and Country Club Drive, resulted in debris being scattered across six lanes of traffic, fortunately causing no harm to any motorists, according to sheriff’s investigators. FBI and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives agents were also part of the investigation alongside sheriff’s detectives.
Both defendants were apprehended in May 2021, with Hershey currently out on his recognizance. Despite the arrests, no specific motive for the explosion has been disclosed. Court records reveal that Hershey has prior convictions for receiving stolen property, burglary, and possession of controlled substances. The case continues to develop, with Hershey awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in the destructive incident.