Traffic backed up on Interstate 10 after deputy-involved shooting

Paul Albani-Burgio, Palm Springs Desert Sun
·2 min read
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Traffic on westbound Interstate 10 from Palm Springs was returning to normal speeds Sunday evening after multiple lanes were closed for several hours, according to California Highway Patrol.

A San Bernardino County Sheriff's Deputy confirmed that a deputy-involved shooting had occurred on the interstate and said the Riverside County Sheriff's Department was investigating the incident and would provide more information.

As of 7 p.m., the Riverside County Sheriff's Department had not responded to numerous inquiries from The Desert Sun or publicly confirmed any shooting or subsequent investigation.

By 6:15 p.m., all lanes had reopened according to a CHP employee who answered the phone at the agency's Indio office but did not provide their name. The employee also said he did not have more information about what had occurred.

TV station KESQ reported that the traffic backup occurred after a sheriff's deputy fired a gun at someone on the road, citing California Highway Patrol. They reported that shots were fired during a pursuit that began in the high desert, and that a suspect was down.

At 6:30 p.m., a Desert Sun photographer reported that traffic appeared to be moving at "normal speeds" on the interstate near Gene Autry Trail. By 7 p.m., SigAlert was reporting speeds of 60 to 70 mph between the Gene Autry Trail and Indian Canyon Drive exits. Speeds then slowed to about 40 to 50 mph from Indian Canyon Drive through the Highway 62 and Whitewater exits and into Cabazon and Banning.

At about 5:30 p.m., the backup had extended about 10 miles from the Gene Autry Trail exit west to Whitewater with SigAlert reporting speeds of as low as 5 mph and delays of up to an hour.

Indian Canyon Drive also has been closed since around noon because of low visibility from blowing sand.

Two lanes of the interstate were closed from about 12:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. The traffic jam also caused traffic to be backed up on Highway 111 into Palm Springs as far as Racquet Club Drive.

This is a developing story.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Deputy-involved shooting leaves traffic at near-standstill on Interstate 10