Wanted suspect drives through cemetery while escaping police

A man wanted on various warrants in Southern California drove across a cemetery while escaping from police over the weekend.

Prior to this incident, Gilbert Gonzalez, 31, of Twentynine Palms was already wanted on separate vehicle theft warrants out of Orange and San Bernardino Counties.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Morongo Basin Station, deputies spotted Gonzalez in a vehicle inside the Joshua Tree Memorial Park located in the 60100 block of Twentynine Palms Highway in Joshua Tree Saturday at around 6:02 a.m.

When deputies made contact, Gonzalez fled the scene driving through the cemetery grounds severely damaging the property.

Gonzalez drove eastbound into the downtown Joshua Tree area. A vehicle pursuit ensued but was cut short entering Twentynine Palms due to excessive speeds and public safety concerns.

Deputies later found Gonzalez's vehicle abandoned at the intersection of Sunnyslope Drive and Datura Avenue in Twentynine Palms. He ran into the neighborhood before deputies found the vehicle.

Gonzalez remains on the run. He is described as a 31-year-old Hispanic male adult, approximately 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Morongo Basin Station at (760)366-4175. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-888-78-CRIME.

Officials at Joshua Tree Memorial Park says thanks to help from the local community, most of the damage Gonzalez caused has been cleaned up. Some markers were removed for concrete border restoration and will be returned by next week.