California deputy killed by hit-and-run driver

On Oct. 28, a Ventura County Sheriff’s deputy was killed in a hit-and-run crash that was believed to have involved a drunk driver. The accident reportedly occurred in the northbound lanes of 101 Freeway near the Lewis Road on-ramp in Camarillo.

The incident occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. as the deputy, a 41-year-old man, had just finished up with a driver who was pulled over for a traffic stop. The deputy was hit by another driver as he was walking back to his patrol vehicle. Several other deputies who had pulled over to assist with the traffic stop were almost struck as well, according to authorities.

The driver responsible for the accident continued along the freeway until he later crashed his vehicle near Las Posas Road. The 25-year-old man was ultimately taken into custody and charged with felony DUI, felony hit and run and vehicular manslaughter. The accused man, who reportedly had a prior DUI conviction in another state, had his bond set at $100,000.

A hit-and-run car accident has the potential to leave one or more individuals involved with serious injuries or, in worst-case scenarios, dead. If it was believed that the injury or death was caused by another person’s reckless or negligent behavior, such as drunk driving, the injured person or the family members of a deceased person may potentially be eligible to file a lawsuit against them. In most cases, a personal injury lawsuit allows the injured person to seek compensation for any damages they may have suffered, such as medical costs, in the accident while a wrongful death claim might allow family members of a deceased person to recover the cost of funeral expenses and other damages.

Source: NBC Los Angeles, “Driver Arrested on Suspicion of DUI in Hit-and-Run Crash That Killed Deputy“, Jonathan Lloyd and Toni Guinyard, October 28, 2014