Suspect critically injured after police pursuit in Cathedral City

Emergency crews responded to a fiery crash Thursday night in Cathedral City at 33rd Avenue and Cathedral Canyon Drive that stemmed from a police pursuit.

According to police, Jacob Thomas De Leon Garcia, 32, was fleeing officers in a stolen black sedan as he sped eastbound on Ramon Road just after 10 p.m. Palm Springs police officers began pursuing the suspect near San Luis Rey Drive.

Police said Garcia turned off the car’s headlights and began running red lights and stop signs while driving over 70 MPH.

At about 10:15 p.m., Garcia was traveling westbound on 33rd Avenue and ran the stop sign at Cathedral Canyon Drive. He slammed into a pickup truck hard enough to cause the truck to roll several times, officers said in a release.

The driver of the truck was able to walk away from the crash and credits his seat belt and airbag as the reasons he wasn’t seriously injured.

The stolen car Garcia was driving caught fire in the crash and Cathedral City police officers arrived to help extinguish the flames.

Garcia sustained major injuries to his head and lower body. Both he and the victim were taken to Desert Regional Medical Center but the victim was cleared with only minor bumps and bruises, according to the Cathedral City Police Department.

Garcia is from Cathedral City and police said he’s a documented gang member with an extensive criminal history and multiple warrants out for his arrest.

He was charged with stealing a vehicle and receiving a stolen vehicle, both felonies, and felony evading.

Cathedral Canyon Drive was closed at the crash scene while officers cleared the scene.

The amount of time Garcia will remain hospitalized is unknown at this time.