Officer rolls sheriff’s car chasing suspect near La Quinta

An officer rolled his sheriff’s cruiser during a high-speed chase in La Quinta Tuesday afternoon, landing the car in the back yard area of a home at Miles Avenue and Jefferson Street, where there was a huge police presence.

Suspect identified as Joshua Keplinger

The chase began at about 3:45 p.m. after a wanted suspect sped away from officers near Dr. Carreon Drive and Highway 111. We’re hearing one deputy was nearly hit by the suspect as the pursuit began.

The suspect reached speeds topping 85 MPH.

The chase continued through La Quinta and then Palm Desert where another patrol car was involved in an accident at Cook Street and Fred Waring Drive, according to Deputy Armando Munoz with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputy Munoz later updated us of 3 hospitalizations: the sheriff driving the overturned cruiser, the sheriff from from the accident at Cook Street and Fred Waring Drive, and a civilian who was a part of the accident. The last two were reported with minor injuries.

Officers were able to stop the suspect in the Applebees’ parking lot at Cook Street and Frank Sinatra Drive. The suspect was taken into custody at about 4:05 p.m.

There’s no word on the extent of the officer’s injuries from the overturned vehicle at this time, or why the suspect was running from police. KESQ and CBS Local 2 will have updated information as soon as we hear back from the sheriff’s department.