California Sheriff’s Deputy Killed in Crash That Split Patrol Car in Half Amid High-Speed Chase

The tragic incident went down just before 11 a.m. on Monday as deputies spotted a stolen car at an intersection. When they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the driver took off, triggering a high-speed chase.

It was during this pursuit that Deputy Hector Cuevas Jr., 36, became involved in a traffic collision with a different vehicle at another intersection. ABC affiliate KABC reported his vehicle struck a light pole before the force of the impact split his vehicle in two.

The deputy, who was the second police vehicle involved in the pursuit, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The suspect, later identified as Ryan Dwayne Turner Jr., 22, wound up stopping the vehicle he was in and taking off on foot. He was quickly arrested.

32-year-old Marcelline Deyman, the woman who was driving the other vehicle involved in the crash with Cuevas, was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, according to a press release from the SBCSD.

Cuevas was a six-year department veteran assigned to the Victorville Station for the past three years, according to Fox affiliate KTTV. He is survived by his wife, two children, parents, a sister, and a brother.

Speaking to the press, Sheriff Shannon Discus described Cuevas as “a devout family man,” as well as “a cop’s cop who has the ability to go between dealing with the most hardcore gang members to turning around and being able to talk a child and make sure they felt safe and knew they were protected.”

The Sheriff’s Major Accident Investigation Team is looking into the accident; it is not yet clear what caused it.

Demyan spoke with CBS News Los Angeles to offer her side of the collision, sharing that she’d been waiting to make a left turn at a red light. As soon as it turned green and she started to go, she said she was struck, causing her to veer into a power box.

“He didn’t have the siren on, he didn’t have the noise on, nothing,” Demyan told the outlet. “If I seen him I would’ve stopped, cause I know if it’s emergency we have to stop. But I didn’t see him.”

In relation to the pursuit, Turner is looking at charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving a stolen vehicle, and evading a police officer resulting in death.

Discus told the press that this wasn’t Turner’s first involvement in a police chase, with his previous pursuit leading to another officer colliding with a member of the public. He also has a lengthy record involving vehicular theft.

Just hours after his death, KTTV reports a procession was held, with community and department members joining with local fire and law enforcement agencies to pay their respects as his body was taken to the coroner’s office. A fire truck flew the American flag over the building as he was brought in.

“I really have no words to describe this type of tragedy,” Dicus told the media. “Hector is the type of law enforcement officer that we all want to be. He was a grand and great protector and a great father and we will be suffering his loss and supporting his family for quite some time.”