Our own Elliott Jung spoke to CBS8 to discuss how accidents involving police vehicles are investigated. Jung stated that California Highway Patrol usually handles investigations of this nature to avoid conflicts of interest.
There are two sources of data that can provide critical information about the student fatality incident involving SDPD vehicle. First, the officer’s body cam can show exactly what happened, but only if the camera was activated at the time. Second, the electronic data recorder (EDR), or black box in the police vehicle can be used to determine the exact driving behavior of the officer in the moments leading up to the collision.
Jung advises that families dealing with similar situations should get the police report as soon as possible and preserve a government tort claim, which is required to sue a government entity. To receive any form of compensation, the family should take action quickly and speak to a legal professional who can guide them. At this point, the SDPD aren’t offering any further information, and they are maintaining that the family’s privacy is their main concern.
