Officers, Family Gather to Honor Cathedral City Police Officer
Local law enforcement officers and fire crews started gathering at Southwest Community Church around 8 a..m. on Friday.
As many as 4,000 people are expected are expected to pay their final respects to Cathedral City Police Officer Jermaine Gibson.
Gibson, 28, was killed early Saturday morning when his patrol cruiser hit a palm tree during a high-speed chase through Cathedral City and Palm Springs. The suspects’ car also crashed into a palm tree, and the two people inside were in critical condition.
Send us your pictures from the procession route as we all salute Officer Jermaine Gibson
Officers said the congested times will come between 9:30 a.m.and 10:00 a.m. and again between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the area around Southwest Community Church.
At 9:30 a.m., a small procession of law enforcement officers will escort Officer Gibson’s remains from the intersection of Da Vall Drive and East Ramon Road in Cathedral City to Southwest Community Church, 77-701 Fred Waring Drive in Indian Wells.
The convoy will be assisted by California Highway Patrol officers and Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies conducting traffic control at various points along the route.
They will travel eastbound on Ramon Road, eastbound on Interstate 10 and southbound on Washington Street until they arrive at their destination.
A larger procession that may consist of more than a thousand law enforcement, friends and family member vehicles will then proceed northbound on Washington Street from Southwest Community Church at approximately 11:30 a.m. The procession will merge onto westbound I-10 and proceed to Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside.
The Cathedral City Police Department and Gibson Family encourages everyone in the Coachella Valley communities to come out and show their support and respect for this fallen hero by lining the intersection of Fred Waring Drive and Washington Street, and standing on both sides of Washington Street from Fred Waring to Country Club.
CHP Officers and county sheriff’s deputies will again be assisting in getting the procession to the freeway.
Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if you plan to travel through the area during the prescribed times.
