Police Pursuit Leads to Two Crashes, Deputy Injuries, Before Suspect Surrenders in Palm Desert

PALM DESERT, CA - Two sheriff's deputies were injured Tuesday in crashes that occurred during a pursuit that began in Indio and ended with the suspect's surrender in Palm Desert, a spokesman said.

The chase began around 3:45 p.m. when deputies conducting a follow-up investigation -- the nature of which was not disclosed -- contacted the suspect in Indio, said Deputy Armando Munoz.

The suspect was able to get into his car and speed away, triggering a pursuit that involved multiple deputies chasing him through Indio, La Quinta and Palm Desert, Munoz said.

During the chase, one deputy's cruiser rolled over near Jefferson Street and Miles Avenue in Indio, who was hospitalized with injuries of unknown severity, Munoz said.

California Highway Patrol officers shut down the westbound lanes of Miles Avenue, keeping the crashed cruiser taped off from the public.

As the pursuit continued into Palm Desert, the suspect crashed into another deputy's vehicle near the intersection of Cook Street and Fred Waring Drive, causing minor injuries to that deputy, Munoz said.

The suspect, whose name was not immmediately released, eventually pulled into the parking lot of an Applebee's restaurant at 74999 Frank Sinatra Drive and surrendered to deputies, Munoz said.

— By City News Service.