Yep, it's definitely a Palo Verde Borer, thanks for the ID NaN!
Yep, whenever it tries to get out of its container it tries to chew at the slick walls to no avail. But I won't be handling it by hand anytime soon. Those mandibles do look like they could deliver a painful bite! Plus, I saw it try a few times to fly while in its container.
Well, I'm not going to let it go, I'm keeping it for a collection of interesting insects that I've been finding locally and in the nearby mountains. With mantids, desert cicadas, sphinx moths, and this giant beetle, It's bound to be pretty darn cool, with no shortage of large bugs!!!