We will always remember
Innocent Victims of Police Vehicular Pursuits

This page lists California victims of pursuit. Information about innocent victimes in other states is located right here. We welcome pictures and written tributes of your innocent loved ones killed or injured in any police vehicular pursuit, no matter the state or country. Your information will be included in this section: Victims' Stories. We will return your pictures. E-mail: kristies-law@sbcglobal.net.

Don't even think about it. When a peace officer signals for you to pull over, do so as soon as it is safe. If you have done something wrong, do not add to it by fleeing and then killing someone else or yourself. Many suspects who have fled the police for minor crimes end up in state prisons. We believe the penalty for fleeing should be a felony. If a fleeing suspect kills someone, that supsect needs to be charged with murder. People who flee are using their car as a deadly weapon and they KNOW it.

Remember, this list of names is incomplete. The media gives limited coverage to pursuit stories and often names of innocent victims are omitted pending notification of family, making it even more difficult to get all the names of innocent victims. Information is gathered from Internet searches and personal contact with grieving families and friends. The people listed below are all innocent victims killed in police vehicular pursuits. To read memorials for peace officers killed in California pursuits, click here.

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Sources: On-line media news stories and e-mails from victims' families. Information includes innocent victim's name, age, date of pursuit, L.E. agency and reason for chase (why the officer initiated the chase). Links include stories and tributes submitted by family members.

We are no longer updating this page. California bystanders killed after Feb. 11, 2007, are listed at this link, click here.

Known Innocent victims killed in pursuits in 2007 (Source: on-line media stories & family members left behind)
Monica Lucky, 41, resides in Stockton, February 11, 2007 (Acting Oakland PD Traffic Sergeant Vincent Fratangelo said, �"No. No chase was involved in this one.�" Witnesses tell a different story. Amy Badore said, "I saw a police car following with its sirens and lights on.�")

 

Brandon Harper, 26, Santa Barbara, January 20, 2007 (Santa Barbara Sheriffs initiated a pursuit for a driver suspected of DUI.)

Known Innocent victims killed in pursuits in 2006 (Source: on-line media stories & family members left behind)
Kathryn Bogosian, 25, Magalia, October 26, 2006 (Paradise Police officers & Butte County Sheriff deputies chased a known felon who had been under surveillance for three weeks. This felon had recently had a domestic dispute with a woman who may or may not have filed a complaint.)

 

Rodrigo Vega, 38, Carlsbad, Sept. 4, 2006 (Carlsbad Police initiated a pursuit for a driver running a red light, the officer then suspected the driver was DUI.)

Halley Simone Lee, 9 months old, June 30, 2006 (Alameda County Sheriff's Deputies initiated a pursuit for a suspected DUI.)
Jessica Castaneda-Rodriguez, 25, May 27, 2006 (Oakland Police chased suspect for blaring loud music; this reason was the first one given by an Oakland Police officer.)
Salvador Nieves Jr., 21, May 27, 2006 (Oakland Police chased suspect for blaring loud music; this reason was the first one given by an Oakland Police officer.)
Lisa Rosas, 17, Bakersfield, April 7, 2006 (Bakersfield PD officers were chasing a suspect in a stolen car.) Note: Lisa's niece, 22-month-old Katrina Martinez, received serious neck and spinal cord injuries and is now paralyzed.
Cleora Chrisman, 67, Oakland, April 7, 2006, (Oakland PD officers were chasing a suspect in a stolen car.)
7-month-old unborn baby, Garden Grove, March 31, 2006 (Garden Grove officers were chasing a known parolee.)
Asatur Tokatlyan, 42, West Hollywood Feb. 23, 2006 (LAPD officers were chasing an attempted kidnapping suspect. Prior to the chase, the woman who called this in was no longer in danger; the woman could ID the suspect and officers could ID the suspect's vehicle.)
Francisco Aguilar-Brito, 20, Anaheim, Jan. 14, 2006 (A Fullerton officer was chasing a suspect for a petty theft at a bar ...)
Francisco Martinez, 20, Anaheim, Jan. 14, 2006 (A Fullerton officer was chasing a suspect for a petty theft at a bar ...)
Guadalupe Ramirez, 39, Anaheim, Jan. 14, 2006 (A Fullerton officer was chasing a suspect for a petty theft at a bar ...)
No name and no further stories found, 26-year-old male, Arcadia, Jan. 13, 2006 (Irwindale police began the chase for a stolen Toyota Camry. The chase continued into Arcadia.)

Known Innocent victims killed in pursuits in 2005
Talmin Moye, Jr., 3, Pasadena, Dec. 11, 2005 (Arcadia Police were chasing a suspected car thief.)
Roy White, 61, U.S., north of the John Daly exit in the Bay area, Dec. 11, 2005 (San Francisco Police were chasing a suspected car thief.)
Annie Ying Zi Cai, 30, Torrance, May 14, 2005 (Hawthorne PD chased a man who had taken his 15-year-old son during a family dispute.)
Melody Carolyn Wooldridge , 22, Redlands, April 13, 2005 (Orange County Sheriff Deputies chased a suspect for failure to display license plates.)
Name withheld pending notification of family, 44, Redlands, April 13, 2005 (Orange County Sheriff Deputies chased a suspect for failure to display license plates.)
Stephen Aguirre, 39, Camarillo, April 3, 2005 (Ventura County Sheriff chased suspect for speeding.)
Jie Wang, 24, Berkeley, died March 10, 2005 (On Feb. 23, 2005, Albany Police Department chased a suspected drug dealer.)
Jesse Robertson, 36, Los Angeles, Feb. 13, 2005 (LAPD initiated a pursuit for a suspected DUI.)

Known Deaths reported from newspaper stories and e-mails from victims' families in 2004
Linda Carson Soper, 47, San Diego, August 10, 2004 (San Diego Police were chasing a suspected car thief.)
Mariline Sacks, 45, San Francisco, March 4, 2004 (San Francisco Police were chasing a suspected car thief.)
No name of victim given in reports, Pacoima, March 1, 2004 (CHP did not state offense; fleeing suspect was not captured)
Young man in Southern California, February 29, 2004  (Searching for more information)
Two Innocent Bystanders Killed In Police Chase; One Person Critically Injured (no names given in this report) ..SUN VALLEY, Calif. -- A short, high-speed police pursuit ended Tuesday with two deaths and another person critically injured. The two female victims, both innocent bystanders, were traveling together in a BMW. Both of those ...chase occurred in school zone.
Maria de Jesus Aranda, 32, Los Angeles, Feb. 5, 2004 (LAPD were chasing a suspected car thief.)
Ana Bell Gomez, 45, Los Angeles, Feb. 5, 2004 (LAPD were chasing a suspected car thief.)
Darlene Zavala, 2, Los Angeles, Feb. 3, 2004 (LAPD did not state reason for pursuit.)
Armando Marquez, 25, Los Angeles, Feb. 3, 2004 (LAPD did not state reason for pursuit.)
Ron Daniella, 19, Los Angeles, Feb. 3, 2004 (LAPD did not state reason for pursuit.)
Adam McKinnis, 22, Fresno, January 3, 2004 (CHP chased a man for a seatbelt violation.)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 18 innocent victims were killed in CA pursuits in 2003. This figure does not include passengers -- even the children -- in the fleeing car.
Delonn Arenas, 49, Desert Hot Springs, November 21, 2003 (Police observed carjacking suspect before he got into a car.  The driver of that car, with the suspect as a passenger, fled from police.)  
Eula Gladney (Texas resident), 70, Escondido, November 16, 2003 (CHP chased a man for traffic violation and suspected DUI.)
Gregory Charles (resident of Modesto), 50, Oakland, November 9, 2003 (Police initiated a pursuit for a suspected DUI.) 

Jody Perry (resident of Grass Valley), 37, Oakland, November 9, 2003  (Police initiated a pursuit for a suspected DUI.) 

Quillar Coleman, 74, Long Beach, October 1, 2003
Clinton Grandy, 62, Oakland, August 27, 2003 (Oakland Police initiated a pursuit for a stolen car.)

Sergio Valenzuela, 35, Pomona, August 13, 2003 (Montclair Police initiated a pursuit for a suspected DUI, driving recklessly.) 

Aaron M. Keller, 33, Los Angeles, August 15, 2003 

Jacob S. Bertucci, age unknown, Los Angeles, August 15, 2003 
Teale Sisson, 9, Nappa Valley, August 8, 2003 (Police initiated a pursuit for a speeder, who ended up a suspected DUI.)

Scott Adsit, 35, San Francisco, July 7, 2003 (Police initiated a pursuit for a suspected car thief.)
Fresno Deputy Sheriff Joshua Lancaster, 27, May 29, 2003 (Sanger PD chased a man in a stolen car.)
Deputy Sheriff Lancaster was an innocent bystander; he was not one of the pursuing officers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 17 innocent victims were killed in CA pursuits in 2002. This figure does not include passengers -- even the children -- in the fleeing car.
Travis Miles, 8, Canton, Sept. 25, 2002 (Police initiated a pursuit for a property crime suspect.)
Aaron Farahmand, 28, Folsom, Sept. 23, 2002 ?/font>

William Darku, 75, Oakland, Sept. 19, 2002

Sacramento Guitar Teacher, Sept. 6, 2002

Evelyn Vargas, 4, Los Angeles, June 1, 2002
Cynthia Rowland, age unknown, remembered as loving and caring, Rio Linda, May 15, 2002 (Sacramento Sheriff's Deputies chased a parole violator who had been convicted of battery.)

Brian Rosero, 10, Norwalk, April 16, 2002 (Police chased a speeder.)

Jessica Mohorko, 18, Oxnard, March 23, 2002 (CHP chased a speeder; suspect not caught.)

No name given, Madera, Feb. 20, 2002 (Sheriff chased suspect fleeing burglary scene.)

No name given, Madera, Feb. 20, 2002 (Sheriff chased suspect fleeing burglary scene.)

Korina Borja, 7, Escondido, Feb. 10, 2002

Kelly Borja, 17, Escondido, Feb. 10, 2002  

Kristie Priano, 15, Chico, January 22, 2002 (Chico PD chased known teenager who took mom's car.)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 24 innocent victims were killed in CA pursuits in 2001. This figure does not include passengers -- even the children -- in the fleeing car.

Myra Rivera, 23, Oceanside, June 4, 2001  

Theodore Abraham Resnick, 33, San Francisco, March 14, 2001 (CHP initiated a pursuit for a suspected DUI.) 

No name given, Morro Bay, March 8, 2001

Bernice Martinez, 43, Stockton, Feb. 20, 2001 (Stockton Unified School District Officers chased student in stolen truck.)

Ashley Martinez, 14, Stockton, Feb. 20, 200 1 (Stockton Unified School District Officers chased student in stolen truck.)

Christina Martinez, 16, Stockton, Feb. 20, 2001 (Stockton Unified School District Officers chased student in stolen truck.)

Desiree Guzman, 14, Stockton, Feb. 20, 2001 (Stockton Unified School District Officers chased student in stolen truck.)