The death of man who died after Contra Costa County Sheriff’s deputies initiated a traffic stop and then he allegedly led them on a pursuit which ended in a fatal collision is being investigated by the District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
On Tuesday at about 9:19 p.m., deputies conducted a traffic stop in the area of Willow Avenue and E. 18th Street in Antioch. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle did not yield and instead led deputies on a pursuit.
On southbound state Highway 160, the suspect’s vehicle crossed over the center median and drove south in the northbound lanes, the Sheriff’s Office said. The deputies immediately terminated the pursuit and lost sight of the vehicle.
A short time after the pursuit was called off, the California Highway Patrol received calls about a collision on the state Highway 4 overpass onto Highway 160. It was later determined the suspect’s vehicle was involved in the collision. The suspect was later pronounced dead at the scene.
The man is identified as Victor Vigil, 50, of Pittsburg. Three others were taken to local hospitals.
As per the county’s law enforcement-involved fatal collision protocol, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office will investigate the case, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Anyone with any information helpful to this case is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office investigation division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Absolute bonkers to stop pursuit. These people remain a danger to the public with or without police pursuit.
Civil Liability
The pursuit was started for what appears to be a simple infraction.
The Deputy is responsible for weighing the dangers to the public and himself from a speeding reckless vehicle vs the danger to the public from letting what amounts to an infraction/misdemeanor violator escape justice.
Had the Deputy continued the pursuit AND not terminated both he and the County could be found civilly liable to a party or parties injured by the fleeing driver.
The Deputy used sound judgement in terminating this pursuit based on the totality of the circumstances and he/she should not be second guessed for making that decision.
So let criminals get away? Then they all flee as they know PD will not chase. Great idea pal.
Well Bugalugs here are a few things for you to consider.
Is engaging in a high speed pursuit over an infraction or misdemeanor worth the life of someone minding their own business walking in crosswalk or on a sidewalk? How about a person just driving their car to an fro? Someone with no involvement with the fleeing driver or pursuing officer?
How are you, American Citizen going to justify to the family of the dead or maimed person(s), who did nothing wrong but be in public, that the pursuing was conducted in order to protect the public safety?!?
To be perfectly clear, I said infraction or misdemeanor. Felonies are another matter but there still have to be an evaluation over the risk to the public safety vs the risk over escape.
For example and PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION, Would you Officer American Citizen pursue a felony murder suspect down Viking Drive when Valley View Middle School, College Park HS and DVC were all getting out of class or would you terminate the pursuit?!?
Let us ignore the criminal ramification of “Reckless Indifference” to freedom of the involved officer and consider the morality. If you were the officer, do you want to live with a death or maiming that you did not cause directly but were involved in never the less over what appears to be roody-poop failure to yield or in police slang is contempt of cop?
If you will be intellectually honest for a moment, you will admit it is both a complicated question and balancing act where the answer is simply not “full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes.” There HAS to be a balance between the danger to the public from the pursuit itself vs the danger to the public if the suspect(s) gets away.
Hopefully the innocent persons injuries are not to bad.
Running from the police is never a good idea.
Glad only Victor died.
Apache Helicopters will neutralize any vehicle fleeing from LEOs and causing a danger to the public.