An armed suspect led a County Sheriff’s Deputy on a foot chase Monday (September 13) evening, before the incident escalated into an officer involved shooting with no injuries.
Sheriff’s report that a Deputy from the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in Twentynine Palms at approximately 6:45 p.m. The vehicle pulled into the drive-thru of a Burger King, located at Twentynine Palms Highway and Encelia Ave. When the deputy approached the vehicle, the suspect, identified as Joe Alverson, a 41 year-old resident of Twentynine Palms, got out of the vehicle and failed to comply with the Deputy’s demands to stop.
Alverson, who Sheriffs said has several outstanding warrants, armed himself with an assault rifle and fled on foot. During the foot pursuit, Alverson pointed the rifle at the Deputy, which constitutes a felony assault. The Sheriff’s report indicates that he Deputy fired his gun, but that Alverson was not struck by gunfire, nor was anyone else.
Alverson surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident. The Sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division responded and assumed the investigation.
Joe Alverson was arrested for investigation of Assault on a Peace Officer with an Assault Weapon and numerous outstanding warrants and booked into the West Valley Detention Center. He remains in custody with a combined bail of $450,000.
