California
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California
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Pursuit-related deaths per 100K: 2.3
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Pursuit-related deaths (1996-2015): 827 (the highest)
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Violent crimes per 100K (2015): 426.3 (13th highest)
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Bystander deaths (1996-2015): 299 (the highest)
Police Pursuit Crashes Kill the Innocent and Officers
Titus was fondly called "Lyndel" by friends. His enthusiasm for tennis and coaching was very infectious and inspiring to all who knew him. The City of Lodi Parks and Recreation Program was fortunate to acquire his teaching talent for the 10 and under program. Lyndel is survived by his beloved wife, Febe Palaruan Tabotabo and his three-year-old son, Andre Titus. He also leaves behind his parents, Titus and Bebe and his siblings, Ronan, Lara and Vince Marc. He was extremely motivated and driven working two jobs to pursue the American dream of owning his own home and setting up a college fund for his son.
The family of Kayla Woods was inconsolable. Kayla was outside playing with two other children when a police chase entered their neighborhood and killed her.
~KABC, Los Angeles
When informed by physicians that Halley was brain dead, the parents, held a 24-hour vigil, hoping Halley would somehow survive.
Precious, little Halley Simone Lee died, after suffering massive brain injuries June 30, 2006, when her mother's car was hit by a vehicle whose driver was being pursued for a suspected DUI by Alameda County Sheriff's deputies.
Jessica and her boyfriend Christopher Haynes had just left the prom ball.
Chasing a speeder at 90 mph, a CHP officer slammed into Christopher's car. The CHP spokesperson stated, "There's nothing wrong with our policies."
Heather Lancaster, the widow of Fresno County sheriff's deputy Joshua Lancaster, an innocent bystander, contends the Sanger Police Department was negligent in a police pursuit that led to her husband's death.
“Teale was the sweetest little
girl. She was on her way to the fair. We still have her fair ticket. For us, she will always be on
her way to the fair.”
~Teri Sisson, Teale's Aunt
"Kristie often spoke about her joyful love for Jesus. When I recall my daughter's endless energy, I see Jesus wiping His brow as He tries to keep up with our little 'spark plug.'"
~Candy Priano, Mother
"Carolynn loves Jesus. My Mom told a reporter after the crash in 1986 that Carolynn was the 'spark plug' of our family. She enjoyed doing tricks on her red BMX-style bike."
~Debbie Reece, Carolynn's Sister
Katy, a wife and mother, left behind her 4-year-old son. People remembered her by the way she touched their lives.
A traffic stop for loud music took two innocent lives: Salvador's and his friend Jessica Castaneda-Rodriguez
A traffic stop for loud music took two innocent lives: Jessica's and her friend Salvador Nieves Jr.
Talmin was a passenger in his dad's car. They were heading for some yummy treats: a pancake breakfast. The reason for this chase: A stolen car.
“I am lost. I can't go on. I am torn!!!!! Believe I am having a hard time just writing you this (Broken and Crying). Lost and Lonely Mother"
~RoseMarie Felix, Mother
Officer Coleman had served
with the California Highway Patrol for over 7 years. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he leaves behind his wife, 2-year-old son, 8-month-old daughter and extended family members.
Brandon Harper
California
"I wish I knew which galaxy he's in. I would take a rocket there."
~Catherine Harper, Brandon's Mom
Daniel Dawson
California
“I miss his laugh. He was an incredible singer. I miss that. I heard a church song this morning that he sang, and I could hear him singing it. I will always miss that."
~Paul Reed, Brother-in-Law
Jason Allen Siebert
California
"He was an amazing talent and passionate advocate for the arts." ~Orange County Performing Arts Center Dir. Terry Dwyer.
Whether he was performing dinner theater on the Queen Mary, playing Goofy at Disneyland, or bringing music to schools, Jason was passionate about his performance.
Jie Wang
Berkeley
Friends and family of the University of California, Berkeley graduate student who went into a coma after his car was hit during a police pursuit in Berkeley on Thursday will hold a news conference Wednesday.
Scott E. Adsit
California
Scott always lived life to the fullest ... that's how he ended up in San Francisco. Originally he was from Adams Center, New York, about 40 minutes from the Canadian border in Upstate New York. He was so happy when he met his wife and decided to settle down.
Mary Shepard, 76
El Sobrante
A newly released parolee driving a stolen pickup truck while fleeing from Richmond police rear-ended a car in El Sobrante, killing Mary Shepard, an Arkansas woman visiting her daughter and son-in-law.
Connie Qualls saw the wreckage. "I would describe it as [...] very sickening. I feel sorry for the innocent victim and her family." She said of the suspect, "The way our country and our government is going today, they might as well give prisoners a pat on the head and let them go. Our courts are too lenient on these people."
Cecilia Diaz Vasquez and Pedro Davila
Los Angeles
Felix Vasquez said his sister and Davila loved living in Hollywood. She kept a photo album full of snapshots—the two of them in a lush garden, one of him posing next to the Hollywood Boulevard star for Cantinflas, the Mexican comic.
Bernice Akers Martinez
Stockton
We are told they don't chase in, or near, school zones. Yet, the headline reads, 'Crash kills woman and 3 teens.' Bernice had just picked up her two daughters and Desiree Guzman from a Stockton, CA, school.
Christina Martinez
Stockton
Christina was helping her mom decorate their new dining room. The furniture had not even arrived yet.
Ashley Martinez
Stockton
Ashley Martinez and Desiree Guzman were best friends. The girls were always together.
Desiree Guzman
Stockton
"Desiree's delightful personality and moral character continues to set an example for all who knew her. She had dreams of going to college.”
~Ron and Adell Guzman (Desiree's Parents)
Martin Padilla
California
Padilla's widow, Nanette Barce-Padilla, 50, expressed anger that sheriff's deputies hadn't broken off the chase for a known parolee in a stolen car. "If they have a police chase, it's not worth trying to catch the person because it kills innocent people," Barce-Padilla said. "That's not the first time that stuff like this has happened."
Marquita Bosley, 25
Oakland
2009
"She always put him first. Always!" said Casey, looking at pictures of Bosley and Nai'ere.
August 26, 2009, Oakland, CA — Marquita Bosley, 25, of Pittsburg. was killed and her son, Nai'ere, was critically injured.
Jeanette Bowie, Bosley's aunt, said Bosley had left her house in Oakland on Wednesday evening to take Nai'ere to see his father — just before the fatal crash.
"She always put him first. Always!" said Casey, looking at pictures of Bosley and Nai'ere.
"She always made sure he looked good for church," said Bosley's sister Tania Pierce, looking at one picture of Nai'ere in slacks, a white button-down shirt and a blue checkered sweater vest.
Read more stories, click here.
Officer Birco was killed on Wednesday, July 26, 2006, after a stolen van, collided with the officer's patrol car. Police had received a call from the victim of a robbery who had just gotten off work on the 500 block of Bayshore Boulevard. [...]
Officers [not Officer Birco] initiated a pursuit [...] As the pursuit continued, the suspect ran a stop sign and collided with Officer Birco's patrol car, causing his vehicle to strike a power pole on the corner before landing on its right side, while the suspect vehicle crashed into a residence. Officer Birco, 39, was later pronounced dead at San Francisco General Hospital.
Heather Miller
California
Deputies spotted a stolen SUV and tried to stop the driver, who sped away. Deputies followed, but stopped the pursuit because of the suspect's reckless driving. The suspect crashed head-on into a Ford Taurus. The Ford's driver, Stephen Jackson, 53, of Modesto, died a few hours later at Doctors Medical Center. Passenger Gunn-Miller, 40, of San Leandro died Monday at Memorial Medical Center. Both were wearing seat belts.
Gunn-Miller has four children, ages 22, 18, 15 and 13.
Officer Douglas
"Scott" Russell
Rancho Cordova
The pursuit began after Rancho Cordova police were dispatched at 12:23 pm on a welfare check on a person in a brown, four-door sedan parked on Horn Road in Rancho Cordova. As officers approached, the driver sped off, tossing items out of his vehicle. A police pursuit ensued, going onto eastbound Highway 50.
Kristopher Bratt
&
Alfonso Felipe Cortez
California
Kristopher had been working as a laborer for Redwood Engineering in Tiburon. Authorities were unable to provide a hometown for Alfonso, saying only that he lived in the East Bay.
Edgar Garcia Torres
California
Rosanna Garcia
California
(if you have any photos or more information on Rosanna, we encourage you to send it to Kristie's Law)
Rodrigo Vega
California
(if you have any photos or more information on Rodrigo, we encourage you to send it to Kristie's Law)
Lisa Rosas
California
Innocent Lisa Rosas, 17, died and her passenger, 22-month-old Katrina Martinez, is being treated at a Madera hospital. Little Katrina is paralyzed as a result of neck and spinal cord injuries.
Asatur Tokatlyan
California
Asatur died en route to the hospital, said Kevin Maiberger of the Los Angeles Police
Department. Tokatlyan lived in Hollywood with his wife and two children.
Marquita Bosley
"She always made sure Nai'ere (her son) looked good for church."
~Tania Pierce (Marquita's Sister)
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Source: The Bureau of Justice Statistics is a division of the U.S. Department of Justice. For state data, the report used pursuit-related fatalities from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTA), which uses the Fatality Analysis Reporting System*, 1996–2015, released May 9, 2017.
*The Fatality Analysis Reporting System receives data on pursuit deaths at the discretion of law enforcement officials.
The FBI reported in 2002: "The lack of a mandatory reporting system hampers attempts by NHTSA to track pursuit fatalities and results in the collection of as little as one-half of the actual data. Typically, only 90 percent of states report pursuit fatality data to NHTSA. By extrapolating the 5-year totals to include 100 percent reporting, calculations would show an average of 375 deaths per year. Even conservative estimates The reporting of pursuit fatalities is not mandatory and there is no government oversight."