Fundraiser Held Monday For Fallen Officer’s Family
A Cathedral City Denny’s restaurant will hold a fundraiser today to support the family of Cathedral City police Officer Jermaine Gibson, who was killed in a crash during a high-speed pursuit.
Gibson, a 28-year-old former Marine, died early March 19 when his patrol car slammed into a palm tree while he was chasing a stolen car with two people inside. Gibson was a married father of a 4-week-old boy.
The Denny’s at 69050 E. Palm Canyon Drive will hold the fundraiser from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant will donate half of its sales during those hours to the Jermaine Gibson Memorial Fund, Cathedral City police Det. Ernie Vasquez said.
Gibson, who lived in Beaumont, had been with the department for about 18 months and previously worked as a reserve officer with the Desert Hot Springs Police Department. He served two tours of duty in Iraq while in the Marine Corps and was awarded the Purple Heart.
Gibson was buried Friday following funeral services that drew an estimated 2,000 people to the Southwest Community Church in Indian Wells.
The two people in the stolen car, Durjan Germaine Gray, 34, and Dexter Coleman, 46, could face murder charges.
Other donations to the Jermaine Gibson Memorial Fund can be mailed to Post Office Box 1131, Cathedral City, Calif. 92235, or dropped off at the Cathedral City Police Department headquarters at City Hall.
