High-speed chase suspect due in court on felony charges

Joshua Keplinger is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and felony evading arrest. The charges were filed after Keplinger led deputies on a pursuit from Indio to Palm Desert on Tuesday. He’s slated to make his initial court appearance Thursday afternoon in Indio.

Deputies release more details about suspect involved in high-speed chase

The Riverside County Sheriffs Department released new details Wednesday morning on a high speed police pursuit, which started in Indio and raced into Palm Desert.

In a statement, the department identified the suspect, Joshua Keplinger, 23, of Bermuda Dunes.

Keplinger was wanted for questioning after deputies were called to a reported shooting at a car in Bermuda Dunes Tuesday afternoon at 3:20 p.m., in the area of Avenue 42 and Jefferson Street.

Deputies located Keplinger a short time inside a vehicle in Indio along the 81800 block of Dr. Carreon Boulevard.

A Sheriffs Department statement said Keplinger struck a deputy with his car as he took off.

Deputies spotted him again in Indio at Miles Avenue and Clinton Street, where he refused to stop and a pursuit was started.

A deputy lost control of his patrol unit in North La Quinta at Miles Avenue just west of Jefferson Street.

The department said that Deputy was treated at a hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

The pursuit continued through the cities of La Quinta, Indian Wells, and Palm Desert.

Other deputies were involved in a collision with an uninvolved motorist at the Fred Waring Drive and Cook Street.

That other motorist was treated for minor injuries and the deputies were also checked out to make sure they were not injured.

Keplinger was finally apprehended with help from the California Highway Patrol near Frank Sinatra and Cook Street.

He was arrested and booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio for assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and felony evading causing serious injury.

His bail was set at $250,000 with his first court appearance set for Thursday.