Several detained in connection with CHP officer's death in Redlands [Updated]

Redlands police confirmed Friday they have several people in custody in connection with the death of a California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer killed as he was attempting to join a high-speed pursuit on city streets.

The pursuit, which began shortly before 7 a.m., reached speeds of 100 mph. The fatal collision occurred near the 10 and 210 freeways at San Bernardino Avenue and Alabama Street in Redlands.

The officer was declared dead at the scene and his body was shrouded in an American flag underneath a red tarp at the intersection.

"There were at least two [traffic collisions] during the pursuit," said Redlands police spokesman Carl Baker.  "One of [the traffic collisions] involved the CHP motor officer."

[Updated at 9:58 a.m.: A previous version of this post said the officer was killed during the high-speed pursuit, but he was actually on his way to join the high-speed pursuit of a motorist committing multiple traffic violations when he was hit by a vehicle on city streets, officials said.

CHP Officer Daniel Hesser said he believes the officer was using lights and sirens at the time of collision.]

The accident comes two days after another CHP officer was critically injured during a traffic stop on the 405 Freeway on the Westside. 

Authorities are investigating whether the L.A. accident was caused by a motorist who was driving along the right shoulder where the officer was conducting a traffic stop, pinning the officer against a Honda SUV that had been pulled over.

Investigators are still trying to determine why the motorist, driving an Infiniti, was using the shoulder.

-- Richard Winton

Photo: A tarp and American flag cover the body of a CHP officer at the site of his fatal collision in Redlands.  Credit: KTLA.com

Comments

[jwa]

RIP Officer.

[Hypatia]

I am sorry for the family's loss, and for the loss of an expensively trained officer. But I have to say that this was a tragedy waiting to happen. Police get their juices flowing in a pursuit. Instead of radioing ahead to have another office/jurisdiction take up the chase, and/or waiting to track down the perp via his plates, the officer thinks "he's not going to beat ME". Most of the time it works, but too often there is injury, property damage, and now, death.

[Hugh J]

"Redlands police confirmed Friday they have several people in custody"

I hope one of those people is the commanding officer who OK'ed the high speed pursuit in the first place. If that's not reckless endangerment, I don't know what is. I'm glad it was only the officer killed and no innocent bystanders.

[Unionman]

This is tragic for the officer involved, his family and the CHP community.
The penalties for attempting to evade a traffic stop should be so draconian, no one would even consider doing it.
I don't know what the CHP's pursuit policy is, but I know this; attempting to make a high speed stop is not worth the life of an officer or an innocent bystander.
My heart goes out to his friends and family.

[Public Servant54]

What's it going to take for California to buy a vowel and solve the riddle? So in two days we have a dead 7 year old child and a dead CHP Police Officer. The State of California should immediately draft a law and walk it through, to make it a FELONY to flee from the Police in a vehicle, IE pursuit! Take the choice OUT of the Judges hands! Make it 10 years first offense! And take their license away for ever! This is getting old and way to much blood shed has occurred. You run from the Police in a vehicle,and bring extreme danger to the community, you GO TO JAIL FOR 10 YEARS! PERIOD!

[Public Servant54]

Godspeed to my brother in blue!

[ron]

sorry

[Penis Cheney]

awesome that made my day

[Mike]

:(

[Bystander]

RIP Officer. What a tragedy.

[pacogarnav]

My condolences to the officer's family and colleagues.

but the sub-heading for the article on the home page is misleading. if i read this correctly the high speed chase had nothing to do with his death... he hadn't joined the pursuit yet and was struck by a vehicle unrelated to that pursuit.

[Ken_D]

Really sorry to see this.

PLEASE, EVERYONE: Slow down, pay attention, yeild to right of way and emergency vehicles.

[Jack]

RIP to the CHP officer

I have to say these chases are dangerous to everyone.
Something needs to change
Didnt a little girl die in a seperate accident?

[JDub81]

What's with all these pursuits...isn't that what they have helicopters for?

[Steve]

Rest in peace... sending thoughts and prayers to his family and fellow officers.

[warmstorm]

"Investigators are still trying to determine why the motorist, driving an Infiniti, was using the shoulder."

Still trying to determine why he was using the shoulder? Isn't it obvious? This person was much more important than the rest of us and was using the privilege afforded to very important people that allows them to drive on the shoulder to go around heavy traffic. I see very important people do this all the time. I'm sure there's a law that allows it.

[Henryof LA]

Law enforcement in California should start an agressive program to cite drivers for not pulling over to the right and stopping for emergency vehicles with sirens on and red lights flashing. The public consistently disgards these vehicles and continue on driving. The fines for this type of poor driving should be considerable.

[Dan]

why was the driver using the shoulder??? because he/she was selfish and self centered and believed themselves to be more important then everyone else.
Sounds like a good time to permanently revolt a license and send them to prison to think about what he/she did.
Why isnt there more information on the suspect?
In Missouri, there would be an automatic $10,000 fine and revolkation of drivers license.

[Patricia]

I wish they could just shoot the car they're chasing with some kind of GPS tracker and follow them from the air instead of chasing them at high speeds like this and risking their own lives.

There must be a safer way of handling these situations.

[Tom]

May this officer rest in peace. However, this photo is indicative of how little people know about proper U.S. Flag etiquette. A flag should never touch the ground, let alone be used as a shroud. This officer's memory, and those of the brave men and women who have died in defense of this country, is best memoralized by a proper respect and display of our flag.

[MJ]

@ Hypatia: Thanks for your condolences...but you are so very un-informed about how officers think-We put ourselves out here to keep YOU safe...and we didn't just lose an "expensively trained officer" we lost a Father, a brother, a son, a husband, a friend, and one of the good people in this world. It is so very obvious that you are one of those people who feel contempt for law enforcement, but when it is you that needs help, we can't get there fast enough.

[sw]

love and prayers to this family. jwa... are you kidding me? i agree time is usally on the side of an officer when it is on a freeway, more tahn on the surface streets, however, would you be saying this if the officer did not get hit, but other families with small children do? I am sure you would blame the officer(s) for not responding quick enough. Be thankful that we 'have' state employed officers out there to apprehend the fools who blatantly evade LE, endanger all around them and injure/kill others because of their stupidity.

[Goose]

Why is a state trooper’s body draped in the USA flag? A California flag would seem to be more appropriate.

[Jim]

100 mph on surface streets - stupid decision.