Sheriff’s recruit dies 8 months after being struck by wrong-way driver while jogging
Authorities say a sheriff’s rookie who was critically injured after a driver on the wrong side of the road rammed his SUV into a group of dozens of rookies on the run in Los Angeles County, dead eight months after the collision, authorities said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department recruited Alejandro Martinez, 27, who died of his injuries Friday, the agency said.
On this November 16, 2022, file photo, law enforcement investigates the scene after multiple recruits from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were injured when a car hit them while they were driving hiding in Whittier, Calif.
Ringo Chiu/Reuters, FILE
“Surrounded by family, friends, Sheriff [Robert] Luna and other members of the support team for his family, Alejandro, have now gone to their eternal resting place,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement. declare. “Sadly, he was unable to fulfill his call to help others.”
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s department said funeral services are pending and no further information has been released at this time.
On this November 16, 2022, file photo, law enforcement investigates the scene after multiple recruits from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were injured when a car hit them while they were driving hiding in Whittier, Calif.
Ringo Chiu/Reuters, FILE
Martinez was one of 25 recruits injured after being hit by an SUV on November 16, 2022 in the city of Whittier during early morning training, authorities said. Officials said at the time that the driver was on the wrong track when he collided with a group of people around 6:29 a.m.
About 75 recruits are on the run. Most are recruits to the LA County Sheriff’s Department, while others are from nearby police departments, including Pasadena and Glendale.
The driver, Nicholas Gutierrez, 23, was initially arrested on suspicion of killing a police officer, but was later released from the LA County jail “due to an extremely complex investigation, including interviews ongoing investigation, video surveillance review and further analysis of evidence is needed,” the LA County Sheriff’s Department said at the time.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Then-LA Police Chief Alex Villanueva said at the time it appeared to have been a “terrifying accident”. According to Villanueva, Gutierrez scored 0.0 on the Breathalyzer test.
Gutierrez has not been charged in the incident.
The California Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into the crash.
“CHP continues to actively conduct a fair and impartial investigation to determine the cause of Gutierrez’s crash and criminal convictions,” CHP said in a statement Saturday. “Currently, there are no further updates to provide.”