TASER MAKER AXON: 5 People Have Caught Fire and 5 Have Died After Being Tasered Near Flammable Materials

5 People Have Caught Fire and 5 Have Died After Being Tasered Near Flammable Materials






By Ken Miller / AP
Updated: November 13, 2017 4:10 PM ET



(OKLAHOMA CITY) — The maker of Tasers (AXON) said Monday that at least 15 people have caught fire, and five have died, after being stunned while near flammable materials, similar to an Oklahoma man who was burned beyond recognition after he was shocked and reportedly got into his gasoline-soaked van.

Axon spokesman Steve Tuttle said the deaths include the man shocked Nov. 7 by a police officer in the town of Lindsey, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) south of Oklahoma City, although authorities say they are still investigating whether the man may have lit himself on fire.

“We’ve seen it happen,” Tuttle said. “It’s happened about 15 times in 24 years … out of about 3.5 million field uses” of the device, known as a conducted electrical weapon, or CEW.


“It’s a known situation. Thankfully it’s been a very rare event,” Tuttle said.

Investigators say the man in Oklahoma who caught fire was armed with a gun and was also carrying a lighter. An officer stunned him with a Taser, but the man managed to fight his way back into his van, where he burst into flames. Authorities say they’re still trying to determine whether the man used his lighter to start the fire or whether the Taser was the cause.

Scottsdale, Arizona-based Axon notes on its website that a Taser can cause flammable materials, including gasoline, to catch fire.

“Do not knowingly use a CEW in the presence of any explosive or flammable substance unless the situation justifies the increased risk,” the website states.

The names of the man and the officers involved in the confrontation have not been released. The dead man’s body was sent to the state medical examiner’s office for positive identification and to try to determine the cause of the blaze.

McClain County Sheriff’s Det. David Tompkins, who is taking part in the investigation, said it appears the officer was probably justified in using the Taser.

“Right now, I think it will be justified, unless something else comes up to change my mind,” he said.

Tompkins said investigators don’t yet know whether there is video of the confrontation because they have not been able to open and view the camera that was on the officer’s patrol vehicle. He said the dashcam has been sent to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to determine whether it was working at the time.


The dead man is believed to be a person who was reported to police in nearby Norman as possibly suicidal.

Norman police spokeswoman Sarah Jensen declined to release that person’s name.

Public defender Mary Campbell-Spegar, 54, died in a house fire in Wharton Township, PA

WHARTON TOWNSHIP (KDKA) — Authorities are investigating a fatal fire that happened Sunday morning in Fayette County.

When Bryan Fonner looked over at his neighbor’s house in Wharton Township on Sunday morning, he saw smoke and thought she was using her wood-burning stove.

But he soon realized that something was wrong.

“It wasn’t a normal fire. It was too much smoke, too heavy smoke,” Fonner said, “and then we heard a bang, and that’s when we went over to see what was going on.”

Fonner and his wife tried to help, but the smoke and heat were just too much.

“Really couldn’t get in to her, no, because it was just too much smoke, and you could actually feel the heat on the outside of the house,” Fonner said.

It was too late for firefighters with the Farmington Volunteer Fire Department to make a rescue.

“When they arrived on scene, it was fully engulfed, and they were able to locate a victim inside the residence who was deceased,” Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Robert Broadwater said.

The victim is identified as 54-year-old Mary Campbell Spegar.

“Mary’s just a wonderful person. She’s the kind of person that would help you out in any way she could,” Fonner said. “She’s a wonderful neighbor. I just can’t say enough good things about her. She’s a great person.”

Campbell Spegar was born and raised in the Wharton Township community, and she’s very well-known and –liked. She’s also well-known in Uniontown where she worked in the Fayette County Courthouse as a public defender.

The state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, which is not believed to be suspicious.

=

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FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa. - 

Friends and family are mourning the loss of a longtime Fayette County attorney on Sunday night.

Mary Campbell-Spegar died in a fire at her home early Sunday morning.



Close to 20 attorneys and judges gathered at the county courthouse to talk with Channel 11 about their colleague and friend.

"The district attorney's office lost a worthy opponent, but more importantly, we've lost a friend and the county has lost a zealous advocate,” said assistant district attorney Brent Peck.  

Spegar was a prominent public defender in Fayette County for decades. Her dedication and passion for her clients is what set her apart from her peers.

On Sunday, just before 7:30 a.m., firefighters responded to Campbell-Spegar's home in the 100 block of Old Mill Road in Wharton Township to a neighbor's report of a fire.

State police in Uniontown say when they arrived the house was fully engulfed. The fire doesn't appear to be suspicious but is still under investigation.  

"Mary was a fixture here in Fayette County,” said Common Pleas Judge Nancy Vernon. “She was well-known, she was very compassionate and kind. I never heard her say a negative thing about anyone.”

"She believed in her clients. I'm not sure anyone else in the county believed as much in her clients as she did," said former district attorney Jack Henecks.

Admiration for Campbell-Spegar went beyond the courtroom.

"She was a mother devoted to her son," said attorney Michelle Kelley. "It's hard for me to compare her devotion. She loved her Michael."

The probable cause of the engine explosion and resulting fire aboard the towing vessel The Admiral was a misfiring cylinder that ignited lubricating oil in the sump of the engine.

NOVEMBER 17, 2017 — 

The National Transportation Safety Board has issued the report on the July 14, 2016 engine room fire aboard a 1958-built Luhr Bros towing vessel in which two crew members were severely burned, one of whom subsequently died.

At the time of the incident, the uninspected towing vessel The Admiral was moored alongside barges in the La Quinta Channel, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, near Ingleside, Texas.

The vessel is powered by two 1,200 hp (895 kW)\ General Motors EMD 567C/ 645E main engines.

About 1635, the vessel’s starboard main engine oversped and then exploded, causing a fire in the engine room. The two crew members in the engine room were severely burned; one subsequently died. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $300,000. No pollution was reported.

The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the engine explosion and resulting fire was a misfiring cylinder that ignited lubricating oil in the sump of the engine.

The full NTSB report goes into considerable detail on the engines's history and maintenance record. Download it HERE.

Worker with All Metro Tree Service trimming trees at a home in Detroit, MI died when he fell from the bucket of his truck.

DETROIT, MI (WXYZ) - 

Detroit police say a worker trimming trees at a home in Detroit died when he fell from the bucket of his truck.

The worker for All Metro Tree Service was flipped out of his box when he cut the limb.

It happened around 10:30 a.m. near Margareta between Santa Rose and Stoepel on the city's west side. That's near 7 Mile and Livernois.

Right now, the worker has not been identified as they wait to notify his next of kin.

About All Metro Tree Service

Fully insured.
30 years in the tree industry.

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-Pruning
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NATIONWIDE IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE: Edward Cramer, 69, and his wife, Audrey, 66, arrested in their underwear October 7 and held for several hours inside a police cruiser when the officers and a Nationwide insurance agent mistook their hibiscus plants for marijuana

PITTSBURGH, PA --

A Pennsylvania couple is suing their local police department and Nationwide Insurance Co. after they were arrested when an insurance agent mistook their hibiscus plants for marijuana.

The lawsuit filed Tuesday by 69-year-old Edward Cramer and his 66-year-old wife, Audrey, claims the agent came to their Buffalo Township home Oct. 5 to investigate a fallen tree. The Cramers claim the agent took photos of their flowering hibiscus plant and sent the images to police.

The lawsuit claims officers with assault rifles arrested the couple Oct. 7 and held them for several hours inside a police cruiser, despite both of them telling the officers the plants were actually hibiscus.

The Cramers are seeking monetary and compensatory damages and court costs.

Neither Buffalo Township police nor Nationwide provided comment.



==================



BUFFALO TOWNSHIP, PA (KDKA) — A Buffalo Township couple says they were handcuffed and placed in a police cruiser for hours while police searched their property after an insurance agent mistook the couple’s hibiscus plant for marijuana.

The incident started back in September when a large tree from neighboring property fell onto the side of Edward and Audrey Cramer’s home, causing damage to the house and an antique garden tractor.



A press release alleges that when the Cramers’ insurance agent, Jonathan Yeamans, arrived at the home to assess the damage, Yeamans took photos of flowering hibiscus plants in their backyard and sent the photos to police, believing the plant was marijuana. The Buffalo Township Police Department then obtained a search warrant.


(Photo Credit: KDKA)

Police officers arrived at the Cramers’ home on Oct. 7 to search their property. Audrey, 66, was home alone at the time, and she says she answered the door wearing only a bra, a short top and underpants.

Officers allegedly pointed assault rifles at Audrey, told her to get her hands up and entered her home after informing her they had a search warrant, although they did not show it to her.

Audrey was allegedly handcuffed, placed under arrest and put in the back of a police cruiser, and she says officers refused her requests to put on pants and shoes.

“I didn’t want too many people to know what had happened because I really don’t like being stood outside in my underwear,” Audrey said.

When Audrey asked police what was going on, they told her they were searching for marijuana. Audrey says she told them it was hibiscus, but police said her husband lied to her about the plants.


(Photo Credit: KDKA)

According to the press release, Edward arrived home about half an hour after police began searching the Cramers’ property. Police allegedly pointed their guns at him, searched him and placed him under arrest. He was then handcuffed and put in the back of the squad car with his wife.

Edward says he repeatedly asked officers if he could show them that the hibiscus plants were not marijuana.

“They actually ignored me,” Edward said. “They wouldn’t even listen. I said, ‘I can show you pictures on the internet.’”

The Cramers say they were allowed back into their home without handcuffs after spending about four hours in the police cruiser. Officers had searched their property and Sergeant Scott Hess told them he didn’t think the hibiscus plants were marijuana.

The press release says the Cramers had to repair damage to their home caused while police were searching, and their insurance company sent them a policy notification letter almost three weeks after the incident claiming that marijuana had been found on their property and their insurance policy would be canceled if the plants were not removed.

The Cramers also say they’ve suffered emotional distress from the incident.

“I don’t sleep at night, and you don’t leave me at the house by myself,” Audrey said.

Attorney Al Lindsay filed suit on behalf of the Cramers on Thursday.

“By what logic [can police officers] take a 66-year-old woman like this lady in her underwear outside, place her under arrest, keep her cooped up in the back of a police car for four and a half hours?” Lindsay said.

The Cramers say they have lost their faith in police.   Good for them:  police are notorious thugs and criminals who get away with many illegal actions and violation of people's civil rights on a daily basis.

“I’m starting to understand why a lot of the public do not trust the police officers,” Audrey said. “I’m starting to see a lot on TV where I thought, ‘No, you have to be wrong because the police wouldn’t make such a bad mistake.’ Yeah, they would.”

The Cramers are suing Buffalo Township Police, Yeamans and Nationwide Insurance. So far, none of them have commented.

THE PINNACLE OF FAILURE: Jury ordered Johnson & Johnson and its DePuy Orthopaedics unit to pay $247 million to six patients who said they were injured by defective Pinnacle hip implants: the metal-on-metal Pinacle hip implants were defectively designed and that the companies failed to warn consumers about the risks.

Johnson & Johnson hit with $247 million verdict in hip implant trial
Tina Bellon



NEW YORK (Reuters) -

A federal jury in Dallas on Thursday ordered Johnson & Johnson and its DePuy Orthopaedics unit to pay $247 million to six patients who said they were injured by defective Pinnacle hip implants. 


Delivering a third straight win to patients, the jury found that the metal-on-metal hip implants were defectively designed and that the companies failed to warn consumers about the risks.

Six New York residents implanted with the devices said they experienced tissue death, bone erosion and other injuries they blamed on design flaws.

J&J, which faces more than 9,700 Pinnacle lawsuits in state and federal courts across the United States, said in a statement it would immediately begin the appeal process.

A DePuy spokeswoman said the company was still “committed to the long-term defense of the allegations in these lawsuits,” adding that the metal-on-metal hip implants were backed by a strong record of clinical data showing they were effective.

Plaintiffs claimed the companies falsely promoted the device, most commonly used to treat joint failure caused by osteoarthritis, by saying it lasted longer than similar implants that include ceramic or plastic materials.

“We thank this jury for sending a very strong message about the responsibility the defendants have to take care of their consumers,” Mark Lanier, who represented the New York patients, said in a statement.

Thursday’s verdict came in the fourth test trial over the devices in Dallas federal court, where some 9,000 of the cases are pending. Test cases have been selected for trial, and their outcomes will help gauge the value of the remaining claims and inform potential settlement talks.

J&J won the first Pinnacle test trial in 2014, but subsequent juries determined the companies to be liable.

“This nine-week trial was a disservice to everyone involved because the verdict will do nothing to advance the ultimate resolution of this six-year old litigation,” attorney John Beisner, who represented the companies, said in a statement. He said the firms would seek further appellate guidance.

A jury in March 2016 awarded five Texas plaintiffs $500 million in damages. That award was later cut to $150 million.

J&J and DePuy were also found liable at a trial in March, during which a jury awarded six California patients $1 billion - a verdict that was later reduced to $543 million.

DePuy ceased selling the metal-on-metal Pinnacle devices in 2013 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration strengthened its artificial hip regulations.

Massive 5-alarm fire consumes the senior living community of Barclay Friends on North Franklin Street in West Chester, PA; 20 seniors went to the hospital

Special Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Response Team, Pennsylvania State Police, and Chester County Fire Marshal's office have located the remains of two individuals inside the Barclay Friends Senior Center at 700 North Franklin Street in West Chester.

Investigators initially located the remains of the first victim late Tuesday morning and then the second victim later in the afternoon.

The remains were transported from the scene by the Chester County Coroner and the families of the four missing residents were notified.

Investigators are still in the process of conducting an origin and cause investigation of the fire and it is expected to continue throughout the Thanksgiving holiday.

A large crane and other excavating equipment were brought to the scene and began removing large sections of fire debris early Tuesday morning.

Efforts to locate the two remaining missing residents will continue Wednesday.

"The thoughts and prayers of the men and women of ATF are with the families of the victims during this difficult time. Their losses only strengthen our resolve to provide answers to them as a result of our investigation of this tragedy," said Special Agent in Charge Donald Robinson.

ATF's NRT, along with Special Agents from the ATF Philadelphia Field Division, were activated to respond to the 5-alarm fire at the Barclay Friends Senior Assisted Living Center.

The fire occurred at approximately 10:45 p.m., November 16.

First responders from West Chester and surrounding fire departments in the area arrived on scene shortly after the first call was made to 911, assisting with the evacuation of approximately 160 residents and staff members.

The NRT arrived on scene Saturday morning to start processing the fire scene and determine the origin and cause once the building was secured and hot spots extinguished.

The fire investigation is being worked in coordination with the Chester County District Attorney's Office, Chester County Fire Marshal's Office, Pennsylvania State Police, West Chester Police Department, Chester County Sheriff's Office and Chester County Department of Emergency Services.


=====================
WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania --

At least 20 people have been injured in a massive, multi-alarm fire at a senior living community in Pennsylvania.

The fire was reported just before 11 p.m. Thursday at Barclay Friends on North Franklin Street in West Chester.

The fire quickly spread to multiple buildings and flames could be seen shooting from the roofs and windows of the structures.

Residents were forced to evacuate outside into the cold, with temperatures overnight hovering in the low 40s.

Dozens of residents were on the lawn or along the street, wrapped in blankets. Many of them had been pushed in wheelchairs or rolled on beds to safety.

Chester County emergency officials said at least 20 people were taken to area hospitals for treatment.

WPVI-TV in Philadelphia is told nine people were taken to Chester County Hospital and seven were taken to Paoli Memorial Hospital. There was no immediate word on the conditions of the injured.


A spokeswoman for Main Line Health, a not-for-profit health system, said one of its hospitals also was prepared to provide shelter to some additional residents of the senior living community. According to its website, Barclay Friends offers various levels of care including memory care, skilled nursing and post-acute rehab.

Early Friday morning, the local chapter of the American Red Cross said on Twitter that it had multiple teams on the scene and that it was working with county officials and facility staff to assist displaced residents.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.



==================



Flames ripped through a senior living community in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Thursday night, forcing 140 residents into the cold and local shelters. About 20 residents were sent to local hospitals.

The five-alarm fire at the Barclay Friends community on the 700 block of North Franklin Street in West Chester led staff to evacuate vulnerable residents on foot, in wheelchairs and even in beds, wrapped in blankets.

A look at the inferno that engulfed Barclay Friends overnight.
Photo credit: Chester County Working Fires

Residents were triaged on a neighborhood street, then transported to a number of different shelters on ambulances and school buses.

At an early-morning news conference, Chester County officials said they weren't ready yet to confirm the number injured or how serious the injuries were.

Fire Sweeps Through Pa Senior Living Home
Seniors were evacuated into 40-degree weather and some were sent to local hospitals when a 5-alarm fire erupted at a senior living home in West Chester, Pa. Thursday. NBC10 News' Katy Zachry and Dray Clark report.(Published Friday, Nov. 17, 2017)

But people at the scene described a frightening rescue from the inferno, which started before 11 p.m. Thursday.

"I'm just envisioning the elderly people burning in their beds because it was so massive... before any rescue came," neighbor Scott Baker said.


A look at the smoldering senior-living community Friday morning.
Photo credit: SkyForce10


Firefighters were still dousing hot spots as smoke continued to rise after daybreak Friday, even though the inferno was declared under control at 1:22 a.m.

An employee who was inside the building said staff rushed into residents' rooms when they realized the scope of the fire and began rushing them to safety.

Seniors took shelter in places including the Hollinger Field House at West Chester University.



Another worker, with tears in her eyes, said she was worried about the residents that she had come to know over three years working at Barclay Friends.

"It's sad," said Nellie Mingey. "This is their home. A lot of them don't have anywhere to go."

Unhurt residents were being reunited with friends and family at the nearby shelters, including at West Chester University. The Red Cross had moved everyone from the West Chester shelter to specialized health care facilities and closed the shelter by late morning.

The American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania responded to help those displaced. The Red Cross said its Disaster Mental Health and Spiritual Care team met with each resident and their families.

"They're cold, they're scared, they're anxious, they wanted to get out of here, so we're glad to have gotten them out," registered nurse Noreen Cibley said.


Neighbors rushed to the scene as well to help comfort evacuees. One woman who lives within a mile of the scene said she called a first responder friend as soon as she saw the flames, then rushed over with donations from Wawa of coffee and water for the overwhelmed evacuees.

"Everyone seems OK, but they are tired," the neighbor said. "They look really, really exhausted. They've had a long night."

Barclay Friends, a Kendal Affiliate, is a senior living community that provides professional nursing staff 24 hours a day, meals and other services, according to its website.

20+ Injured in Assisted Living Facility
Crews battled heavy flames at an assisted living facility late Thursday night into early Friday morning. NBC10's Aaron Baskerville was on scene.(Published Friday, Nov. 17, 2017)

Firefighters warned people in the area to expect traffic troubles in the area of Franklin Street and Goshen Road as roads in the area remained closed Friday as ATF agents led the investigation into the blaze.

Getting inside the building was a challenge as part of the building collapsed and smoke continued to rise from the rubble throughout the morning.

2 killed and 2 injured after a 2012 Toyota Tundra crashed into the rear left of a disabled 2012 Peterbilt rig on the northbound 5 Freeway near Pyramid Lake, CA

A SigAlert was issued on the 5 Freeway in the Pyramid Lake area Wednesday night after a crash killed two people and left two others injured, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The collision occurred on the northbound 5 just south of Vista Del Lago Road around 8:35 p.m., according to CHP’s incident log.

Officers were dispatched to the location after receiving a report of a crash with people trapped, CHP Supervisor Martin Rangel said.

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Rangel.

Two trauma patients were transported to a nearby hospital, Rangel said. Their conditions were not immediately known.

A SigAlert was in effect for the closure of the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 northbound lanes, CHP Officer Kimble said.

Southbound lanes remained open and were not impacted.



============================



A 72-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman, both who were passengers in a truck, were killed Wednesday in a two-vehicle crash on the northbound 5 Freeway near Pyramid Lake.

Ed Winter, of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, said both identities were not being released pending next of kin.

The California Highway Patrol said the 72-year-old man was from Lamont while the 19-year-old woman was from Tulare in the Santa Clarita Valley crash.

The crash was reported at 8:35 p.m. on the freeway, which is south of the Vista Del Lago off-ramp, the CHP said.

A 2012 Toyota Tundra drove northbound on the 5 Freeway and approached a 2012 Peterbilt big rig, which had become disabled in the No. 2 lane, the CHP said.

As the Toyota attempted to swerve to avoid the Peterbilt truck, the front wheel of the Tundra crashed into the rear left of the big rig, the CHP explained.

After the crash, the CHP said, Los Angeles County Fire Department first-responders performed life-saving measures to the front and rear right side passengers of the truck, but both died on scene.

The Toyota’s driver and left rear passenger sustained moderate to major injuries and were transported to Henry Mayo Memorial Hospital in Valencia, the CHP noted.

Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors in the crash, the CHP said.

A SigAlert was issued in the No. 1, 2 and 3 lanes for the northbound 5 freeway. The alert was cancelled at 4:10 a.m. Thursday.
 ==========================



http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2015/03/united-states-still-has-one-of-highest.html

UNITED STATES STILL HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST ROAD ACCIDENT DEATH AND INJURY RATES IN THE WORLD: 34,000 DIE AND 2.5 MILLION INJURED EACH YEAR.

Despite the improvements in vehicle and road safety, the United States has one of the highest death rates at about 1 person dead per 10,000 people. 

Unfortunately, only undeveloped countries have higher death rate.

Some states, such as Texas and West Virginia (sorry, WV, despite your tremendous progress in traffic safety, you are still at the top of the worst-death-rate list) have death rates of nearly 1.5 percent, i.e., fifty percent more people die compared to the national death rate.

Approximately 34,000 people are getting killed each year.  In the 1950s and 1960s, about 55,000 people used to die on the roads – so, there has been improvement in the number of dead. 

However, the number of injured is rising, as "safer" vehicles (the SUVs) minimize the number of dead.  Roughly 2.5 million are injured (yes, you read it correctly – 2.5 million injured) per year.  That is, 1 percent (1%) of the population that is eligible to drive is injured every year.  Over a lifetime of 75 years, almost the entire population could be injured or died in a crash crash.

It is worse than a war zone out there.  So, please be safe and be on the lookout for weaving-through-the-traffic drivers, crazy drivers, reckless drivers, sick drivers, medical-condition drivers, sleepy drivers, negligent drivers, stupid drivers, careless drivers, drunk drivers, speeding drivers, drugged drivers, texting drivers, talking-on-the-phone drivers, looking-at-the-GPS drivers, hurry-hurry drivers, tailgating drivers, upset drivers, eating-while-driving drivers, putting-the-lipstick-on-while-driving drivers, elderly drivers, and so on.
 

Two children were killed, and three others were injured when several pedestrians were struck during a multi-vehicle crash involving an on-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy vehicle Thursday night in the Boyle Heights area

Two Minors Dead, Three Others Are Hurt in Crash Involving Deputy in East Los Angeles
By Staff and Wire Services


Two minors died and three other pedestrians were injured in a multi-vehicle crash involving a sheriff's deputy vehicle. Beverly White reports for the NBC4 News at 11 on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. (Published 4 hours ago)


Two minors died and three other people were hurt Thursday in a multi-vehicle crash involving a sheriff's deputy in East Los Angeles.

The accident was reported about 7:30 p.m. in the 800 block of South Indiana Street.

The crash happened when a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy patrol car responding to an emergency gunshot victim crashed with other vehicles, officials said. The five victims struck in the crash were all pedestrains, according to Amy Bastman of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

"They're going to conduct a full-scale investigation where they'll do a speed assesment," Captain Alfonso Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Deputy Involved in Fatal Crash
One person died and four others were injured in a crash in East Los Angeles. Beverly White reports for the NBC4 News on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017.(Published Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017)

One youth died at the scene and the other four victims were transported to a hospital, where the other youth died.

"It could happen at any time," witness Carmen Rodriguez said. "They're the law enforcement; they should be more cautious of how they're driving."

Although the deputies were unharmed in the crash, they were taken to a local hospital to be evaluated.

The other motorists of the two vehicles involved did not sustain any injuries and stayed on the scene. They are reportedly cooperating with investigators.

The LAPD, Multi-Discipline Collision Investigation Team is handling the investigation.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contanct the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Station at 323-264-4151.



=============================


2 Children Dead After On-Duty Deputy Vehicle Strikes 5 Pedestrians in Boyle Heights Area: LAPD 

by Tracy Bloom and Steve Kuzj, 

Updated at 11:57PM, November 16, 2017



Two children were killed, and three others were injured when several pedestrians were struck during a multi-vehicle crash involving an on-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy vehicle Thursday night in the Boyle Heights area, authorities said.


Five pedestrians were struck, one fatally,
in Boyle Heights on Nov. 16, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

The crash occurred shortly after 7:20 p.m. in the area of Indiana Street and Whittier Boulevard, according to Los Angeles Police Department Officer Tony Im. The location is on the border of East L.A. and Boyle Heights.

The deputies were responding to an emergency call of a gunshot victim and traveling southbound on Indiana when a three-vehicle collision took place near Whittier, LAPD Captain Alfonso Lopez said at a late-night news conference at the scene.

The sheriff's vehicle struck five pedestrians on the southeast corner of the street, according to Lopez

One of victims died at the scene, he said. A second victim was later pronounced deceased after being transported to the hospital, he said.


A deputy was involved in a fatal crash in the Boyle Heights area on Nov. 16, 2017, authorities say. (Credit: KTLA)

None of the victims' families have been notified yet, and Lopez would not disclose their names, ages and genders, other than stating that one was a child.

Three other patients were being treated at hospitals; their conditions were not immediately known.

Two deputies were in the SUV at the time of the crash, and both were transported in stable condition, according to Lopez. They were expected to be released from the hospital soon.

The other two drivers involved in the collision were uninjured. Both remained at the scene, police said.

An investigation is underway into the deadly collision, and anyone with information is encouraged to call the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Station at 323-264-4151 or the LAPD Hollenbeck Community Police Station at 323-342-4100.

Anonymous tips can also be left by calling 877-527-3247.