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Crime & Safety

Judge Orders Man Suspected In Officer's Death To Stand Trial

Durjan Germaine Gray, who allegedly got behind the wheel with methamphetamine and marijuana in his system, faces four felony charges, in connection with the chase that resulted in the death of Officer Jermaine Gibson.

A man who allegedly had methamphetamine and marijuana in his system when he led  Cathedral City police on a high-speed pursuit that culminated in a fiery crash that killed an officer was ordered today to stand trial on murder and other charges.

Durjan Germaine Gray, 35, faces four felony charges stemming from the March 18, 2011, chase that resulted in the death of Officer Jermaine Gibson on South Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Randall D. White ruled enough evidence was presented during a daylong preliminary hearing to warrant a trial for Gray, who is also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs causing great bodily injury, evading arrest causing great bodily injury and engaging in criminal street gang activity.

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Cathedral City police Officer Alfredo Luna testified that he and Gibson were conducting a traffic stop in north Cathedral City around 11:30 p.m. when a black Ford made a high-speed U-turn nearby, and both went after the Mustang in their patrol cars.

The motorist ran a red light and reached speeds of 100 mph while driving with the headlights off and refusing to stop for the pursuing officers, Luna said.

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When the vehicles approached a curve near South Palm Canyon Drive and Morongo Road in Palm Springs, Luna lost sight of them, and shortly afterward saw Gibson's patrol car "in the shape of a C wrapped around a palm tree,'' part of it on fire.

"When you saw the traffic collision, what did you do?'' Deputy District Attorney Anthony Orlando asked Luna.

"I pulled out, went to the nearest intersection ... and attempted to get Officer Gibson out of the vehicle,'' the witness said.

He and two other officers -- a total of four officers in three patrol cars were involved in the chase -- tried to pry open one of the vehicle's doors with their clubs, then grabbed fire extinguishers from their cars.

"I smashed a few windows and tried to pull Officer Gibson out of the vehicle,'' Luna said.

"Was Officer Gibson responding?'' Orlando asked.

"He was murmuring, but I couldn't understand what he was saying,'' Luna replied.

Another officer tried ramming Gibson's car with his patrol unit to loosen it from the tree, he said.

"The three of us started trying to kick on the front of the door,'' Luna said. "I started pulling Officer Gibson's arms, but the dashboard was pinned to his torso.''

At that point, the fire began consuming the car, he said.

"The fire was now on Officer Gibson's legs and the inside of the vehicle. It started to burn us as we tried to pull him out,'' Luna testified. "Eventually the flames consumed Officer Gibson's body. I tried to pull him out a few more times, but once I saw his face burn I knew he was dead.''

He said the car and palm tree became engulfed in flames and ammunition in the car exploded.

Gray's attorney, Greg Johnson, asked Luna during cross-examination if anyone said the chase should be stopped because it was becoming dangerous.

"Not verbally, but it was something we had in our minds,'' Luna replied. 

"At any time did you feel this thing was getting out of control?'' Johnson asked later.

"No,'' Luna said.

"You felt justified in what you were doing?'' Johnson asked.

"Yes,'' Luna said.

Johnson later asked if that "curvy section of highway (on Palm Canyon Drive) has to be negotiated in a careful manner.''

"Yes,'' Luna replied. 

"If you take that curve even at 70 miles per hour, most people would have trouble negotiating that curve, right?'' Johnson asked.

"Correct,'' Luna responded.

Gray's car also crashed, and he and his passenger, who was not charged in the case, were injured.

The passenger, 47-year-old Cathedral City resident Dexter Coleman, testified that he remembered Gray picking him up at his mother's house to take him to see a woman in Desert Hot Springs. Coleman, who walked with a cane in court, said the next thing he remembered was waking up in the hospital.

Gibson, a 28-year-old Beaumont resident, had been with the Cathedral City Police Department for about 18 months and previously worked as a reserve officer with the Desert Hot Springs Police Department. A former Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq, where he was awarded a Purple Heart, Gibson left behind a wife and infant son.

Gray, who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail, is due back at the Larson Justice Center on April 5 for a post-indictment arraignment.

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