Motorist pleads innocent in death of SoCal CHP officer

[4CHP]

Motorist pleads innocent in death of SoCal CHP officer


Associated Press

VICTORVILLE, Calif. - A driver who was allegedly drunk when he struck and killed a California Highway Patrol officer last weekend pleaded innocent to vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, authorities said.

Domingo Esqueda, 20, could face up to 16 years in prison if convicted of killing motorcycle officer John Bailey, 36, who was married and had four children. Esqueda was arraigned Tuesday in San Bernardino County Superior Court in Victorville.

Authorities say Bailey was driving home to Adelanto Saturday night when he pulled over another motorist for investigation of drunk driving on Interstate 15 near Hesperia.

Bailey was talking with the motorist on the side of the road when he was struck by Esqueda, who had been driving on the shoulder, authorities said. Esqueda's car then struck the vehicle that Bailey had stopped, officials said.

The driver of that car, Francisco Trujillo, 52, suffered moderate injuries. No charges have been filed against him.

Esqueda was being held at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on $1 million bail.

Immigration authorities believe Esqueda, a Mexican national, may be in the U.S. illegally and have placed a "hold" on him, said Lori Haley, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman. He will be turned over to immigration officials after his criminal proceedings.

Bailey was the sixth CHP officer in the last five months to die in the line of duty. The string of deaths prompted CHP Commissioner Michael Brown on Monday to order field commanders to review safety procedures with their officers.

[norcal625]

PLEADS INNOCENT!! When you obviously crash YOUR car into a Officer and another vehicle pulled over on the side of the road it is YOUR fault. When someone dies due to it, it is YOUR fault. I can't believe the nerve of this guy. Now they mention he might be here illegally, I hope this guy gets the book thrown at him. Unfortunatly we live in a country where jury's don't understand it is their duty to hold people accountable for their actions after listening to suave lawyers give their spills about how others are in the wrong and that is why their client is innocent. I'm going to stop before I rant and preach to the choir. :evil: :mad:

Just a quick example (Not to change subjects) but I was on a DUI jury case and the prosecutor gave a great case but about 6 of the other jury members (older 40-late 50's)thought since they drank a substantial amount and drove and didn't feel drunk this guy wasn't either and it took 4 days to make them understand and convict the guy on 1 of the 2 charges (He had DUI and DUI w/ .08 or above). Very inmaturely (and it probably didn't help my cause for guilty) but I said "I hope the next time you drink those 3+ glasses of wine or what have you, you get pulled over, run through FST's, breathalized and realize just how drunk you can be after JUST those glasses." I also did the whole "Well I think you would feel different if this drunk driver hit your son or daughter"
Sorry, as some of you probably have, I've had personal friends killed by DUI's.

[SB 405]

Did we really expect anything else?

[Mac]

Did we really expect anything else?
Nope. Welcome to the age of "no responsibility for your actions". And you can bet that some scumbag lawyer will do his best to defend him too, despite the fact that his BAC was nearly three times the legal limit and there's physical evidence clearly showing that he was directly responsible for Officer Bailey's death.

[4CHP]

Does the fact that the driver may be an illegal alien affect the proceedings in any way?

By pleading not guilty, he is only aggravating his sentence I would assume.

[norcal625]

Being optimistic, personally I did yes... Especially considering how the odds are stacked!

[bcjack]

Would a great defense be..."If the Officer had not stopped the deuce, and had just gone home, he would not have been in my client's way when he drove out of the traffic lane and on to the shoulder, subsequently hitting the Officer":rolleyes:

[SB 405]

The news this morning had two DUI related stories with Officers (non CHP and non fatal) but it just as easy could have gone the other way. I remember hearing this comment from someone in the CHP during a news interview last week..."If these Officers were killed doing things by the book then maybe it's time to take another look at the book" anyone else hear that comment?

[pupdog]

SICK SICK SICK SICK!

"If these Officers were killed doing things by the book then maybe it's time to take another look at the book"

I hadn't. What do I know, but how could an operations policy change on the CHPs part steer this guy's car somewhere else?

[Mac]

SICK SICK SICK SICK!

"If these Officers were killed doing things by the book then maybe it's time to take another look at the book"

I hadn't. What do I know, but how could an operations policy change on the CHPs part steer this guy's car somewhere else?
The bottom line is, it's a dangerous job. Guns, cars and drunks kill people, and none of them are going away any time soon. No matter which way the book would/could be re-written, the bottom line is that we have to do business and that puts us in harm's way. There may be a few things we could do differently which might help, but the bottom line is that a cop, just like a soldier, knows and accepts that every day on the job could be his/her last. We mourn our fallen and think "there but for the grace of God go I", and then we pick up and move on.

That doesn't absolve cop killers of any blame whatsoever....what I'm saying is that there's no 100% safe way to do business.