A Twentynine Palms man was killed Tuesday evening when a Sheriff’s patrol car struck his car. According to Sergeant Randy Warfield, Deputy Erdem Gorgulu was responding to a call about 7:30 p.m., driving eastbound on Highway 62 when a man, identified only as a 63-year-old recent resident of Twentynine Palms, driving a Toyota Camry, pulled out from northbound Encelia Avenue directly in front of the patrol car. Deputy Gorgulu crashed into the Camry, killing the driver instantly. The deputy sustained a broken right leg, along with other minor injuries, and was taken to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs. Highway 62 was closed in both directions all night and into the morning following the crash. Traffic was rerouted to Two Mile Road between Lupine and Sunrise.
