One person is dead and two others are hospitalized with moderate to major injuries after a vehicle being chased by Riverside County sheriff's deputies drove the wrong way onto the Monroe Street off-ramp from Interstate 10 in Indio Monday evening and slammed head-on into another car. The pursued vehicle caught fire.
The crash was reported around 7:35 p.m. at the Monroe Street freeway exit, according to KESQ. The California Highway Patrol confirmed that a vehicle was being pursued at the time and had traveled the wrong way on the off-ramp before colliding with another car traveling in the opposite lane. The suspect vehicle had just one occupant inside, who was pronounced dead at the scene, the station reports.
The other vehicle involved carried two occupants, both of whom suffered moderate to major injuries and were taken to the hospital, per the same account. Deputies spotted a wanted vehicle near Park Street and Miles Avenue, attempted a traffic stop, and began pursuing it after it failed to yield; further details about the pursuit remain limited, and the Riverside County Sheriff's Office led it.
Freeway Closure and Lingering Backups
A SigAlert was issued for a long-term closure of the eastbound I-10 Monroe off-ramp following the crash, the station notes. All lanes on I-10 itself have since reopened, though traffic in the area remains slightly slow as crews continue working the scene.
The crash site is at the I-10 and Monroe Street interchange.
Why Wrong-Way Ramp Crashes Turn Deadly
Wrong-way crashes caused an average of 430 deaths annually nationwide from 2010 to 2018, according to an AAA Foundation study.
Jurisdiction and Legal Stakes
Hoodline has previously reported on Eastern Coachella Valley crashes.
Under California Vehicle Code Section 2800.3, evading a pursuing peace officer that results in death is punishable by 4, 6, or 10 years in state prison, while evading that causes serious bodily injury carries a sentence of 3, 5, or 7 years, according to FindLaw. Separately, Vehicle Code Section 17004.7 grants law enforcement agencies immunity from civil liability for injury or death resulting from pursuits if the agency maintains a written pursuit policy complying with state guidelines and provides annual training to its officers.
This crash follows other recent pursuit-related tragedies in Riverside County, including the September death of a 13-year-old Menifee boy killed on his e-bike as a woman fled police during a burglary call, a case Hoodline also covered. Riverside County's overall motor vehicle fatality rate stands at 13.24 deaths per 100,000 residents, notably higher than neighboring coastal counties, due in part to elevated travel speeds on the region's wide desert arterials and freeways.
No further details on the identities of those involved, the cause of the pursuit, or its duration have been released. Reporters and residents following the case are watching for updates from the Riverside County Sheriff's Office and the CHP's Indio station on the condition of the hospitalized victims.
