Category: Accidents

Authorities continue to search for Octavio Montano Islas, a DUI suspect, who is alleged to have caused the deaths of a father and his young daughter in 2022 by crashing into their apartment in Long Beach. Long Beach police reports state that Islas, aged 26 at the time, is accused of taking the lives of Jose Palacios-Gonzalez, 42, and his 3-year-old daughter, Samantha Palacios.

The incident occurred on the evening of March 1, 2022, near Artesia Boulevard and Rose Avenue where surveillance video caught a 2014 Dodge Ram pickup truck, believed to be driven by Islas, making a brusque turn and speeding along Rose Avenue prior to colliding with the residence of the victims. While Palacios-Gonzalez succumbed to his wounds at the scene, his daughter was transported to a hospital where she eventually passed away.

Following the crash, the suspect evaded capture by fleeing on foot and authorities have not been able to apprehend him since. Law enforcement have reason to believe Islas was intoxicated at the time of the incident. Islas is about 5 feet 8 inches in height, weighs around 160 pounds, and has tattoos on his right forearm.

In relation to the incident, an arrest warrant for Islas was issued, charging him with two counts of felony manslaughter, one count of felony driving under the influence, and one count of felony hit-and-run. A $20,000 reward for any information leading to the apprehension and conviction of Islas was put forth by the Los Angeles County Supervisors Office on August 12, 2025, and extended by county officials on November 4, 2025.

Anyone with information regarding Islas whereabouts is urged to contact Scott Jenson from Long Beach Polices Detective Division at phone number 562-570-7218.

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An off-duty officer of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) died in a fiery one-vehicle collision in Santa Clarita, as confirmed by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department (LASD). The tragic incident was reported in the early hours of Saturday, at the crossing of Cinema Drive and Bouquet Canyon Road, in the vicinity of the Valencia Mart Shopping Center.

Firefighters were the first respondents at the scene, discovering the vehicle fully immersed in flames. The officer was pronounced dead on location. His identity has not been made public yet, with the LAPD spokesperson stating that details will be disclosed after notification of the officers next of kin.

In the midst of the investigation at the crash site, a separate incident occurred where a woman breached the active crime scene perimeter. The LASD spokesperson reports police arrested the woman under suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI). The individuals identification has not yet been released to the public. More details pertaining the incident are anticipated to be released as investigations continue.

This report includes information compiled by Alexis Lewis and Luis Zuniga.

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Late Tuesday night, an incident of fatal hit-and-run was reported in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles. According to the police, a young boys life was tragically cut short when a motorist crashed into a building and fled the scene.

The California Highway Patrol responded to the incident at Crenshaw Boulevard and Rodeo Place around 11 p.m., where they discovered a white Infiniti FX35 had collided head-on with the corner of a building. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirms that the vehicle was likely speeding prior to the driver losing control and veering off the road.

Following the crash, the driver reportedly did not stay at the scene and failed to provide aid to the four-year-old passenger present in the vehicle. The childs age was later confirmed in a news release by the police.

The unidentified boy was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Two other passengers, including the childs mother, were also carried to a local hospital with severe injuries.

The driver, who allegedly fled the scene in a white sedan after abandoning the wrecked Infiniti, is still at large. The entity is described as a Black woman, possibly in her 30s. Authorities are treating this as a hit-and-run incident.

The local South Traffic Division is urging any individual with knowledge about the collision to contact Detective Moreno. To provide information anonymously, individuals may also utilize Crime Stoppers.

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A deadly incident took place in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles late on Tuesday night, resulting in the demise of a young child.

A motorist reportedly drove a white four-door vehicle into a building at the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Rodeo Place. The incident occurred around 11 p.m., prompting an immediate response from the Los Angeles Police Department. Video footage of the scene depicted that the vehicle had struck the corner of the building head-on.

In the aftermath of the crash, a 5-year-old child was found at the scene. Tragically, the child was pronounced dead, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the Los Angeles Police Department. In addition to the young victim, the female motorist who was operating the vehicle was also injured and transported from the scene with a leg injury.

Various aspects surrounding the incident remain vague, namely, the cause that instigated the vehicle to swerve off the road. The investigation is ongoing to assess whether any other individuals were involved or not. Further updates will be provided as more details are unveiled.

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Early Tuesday morning, law enforcement authorities apprehended a suspect believed to have stolen a police department sport utility vehicle. The chase finished in East Hollywood with the employment of a K-9 unit to bring down the suspect.

This incident initiated at approximately 12:15 a.m., following a traffic stop on Atlantic Boulevard and Glendon Way, Alhambra. During the officers interaction with the driver, another individual, not related to the traffic stop, executed a stealthy approach towards the officers, got into the drivers seat of the patrol car, and promptly drove off, according to a news release from the Alhambra Police Department.

The individual who commandeered the police vehicle was identified as Trung Cuong Nguyen, and this instigated the pursuit on the 10 Freeway.

The high-speed chase came to a halt in East Hollywood, at the intersection of Marathon Street and Oxford Avenue. Nguyen exited the vehicle and attempted to escape on foot, but a K-9 unit and several officers apprehended him. The arrest made on March 18, 2025, was captured on video with Nguyen seen attempting to evade capture.

The video footage shows Nguyen sustaining a head injury during his apprehension. Following his capture, he was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. Information concerning Nguyens potential motive for the theft of the police vehicle or additional details about the suspect have not yet been disclosed.

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The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department is currently in mourning after a severe crash in Victorville involving one of their deputies. Reports point to their ordeal being linked with a man known for having previous issues with the law.

Ryan Turner, a 22-year-old resident of San Bernardino, is said to be the individual in question. Turner has an extensive criminal history that includes instances of high-speed pursuits that ended in collisions, one of which occurred as recently as January 29, 2024. A later photo evidence was provided courtesy of the Rialto Police Department.

On March 17, 2025, a San Bernardino County Sheriffs Deputy was seriously injured in a crash near Victorville. This incident is thought to be tied to Turners actions. Turner had previously pleaded no contest to a charge of grand theft auto. This verdict led to a 16-month prison sentence, of which Turner only served eight after receiving credit for his time spent in county jails.

Rialto Police Chief Mark Kling has publicly criticized this decision, especially in the aftermath of the deputys crash. While expressing condolences for the deputys family, Chief Kling also voiced his concerns. Kling argued that the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department had unfairly suffered due to Turners premature release. His view is that Turners history of evading law enforcement is a clear indication of his lack of fear for potential consequences, making him a continuous public safety risk.

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After years of a consistent rise in car thefts, a significant decline was observed in 2024, breaking the pattern set-off since 2020. A report issued by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) states that approximately 850,700 vehicles were reported stolen across the U.S. in 2024. This was a substantial decrease compared to the more than 1 million vehicles reported stolen in the previous year, 2023.

Despite the overall decline, certain car models still remained favorites among thieves, particularly the Hyundai Elantra and the Hyundai Sonata. There was a surge in thefts of Hyundai and Kia cars in 2020 when videos revealing how to exploit the cars vulnerabilities and steal them became widely distributed on TikTok. The NICB reports suggest that the thieves exploited the absence of engine immobilizers, an essential anti-theft technology.

However, improvements have been made also for these vulnerable models. The manufacturers have been offering anti-theft software upgrades to vehicle owners and consequentially there has been a noticeable reduction of stolen Hyundai and Kia cars in 2024 nationwide.

Still, the statistics confirm that these two models remained the most frequently stolen vehicles in 2024, with 31,712 thefts of Hyundai Elantra and 26,720 of Hyundai Sonata reported across the U.S.

The regional data from California mirrors the national trend with Chevrolet Silverado experiencing the highest number of thefts (6,248) and Hyundai Sonata coming second with 5,865 thefts reported in 2024. Other frequently targeted models include Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, and Honda Accord.

Vehicle theft rates also varied depending on the geographical location with Washington, D.C., California, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada being the most affected areas.

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According to data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and other news sources, theft rates of vehicles in the United States experienced a notable decline in 2024. This is in contrast to the continuous increase in vehicle theft numbers observed from 2020 onwards. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reported around 850,700 stolen vehicles in 2024, which demonstrated a substantial decrease from over 1 million cases recorded in 2023.

Regardless of the declining trend, certain vehicle models continued to draw the attention of auto thieves. The NICB data highlights two Hyundai models – the Elantra and Sonata – as the most frequently stolen vehicles in 2024. It is noted that thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles surged drastically in 2020 following the dissemination of videos on social media platform TikTok illustrating how to exploit the vulnerabilities of these cars for theft. One major vulnerability was the absence of engine immobilizers, a standard anti-theft feature.

Progress has been made to address this issue with the affected models. Hyundai and Kia have offered anti-theft software upgrades to vehicle owners, consequently leading to a decreased number of thefts of these vehicles nationwide in 2024.

The top 10 most stolen vehicles in 2024, as per NICBs records, are the Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Honda Accord, Kia Optima, Honda Civic, Kia Soul, Ford F150 Series Pickup, Toyota Camry, and the Dodge Charger.

The likelihood of ones vehicle being targeted for theft is not solely dependent on the vehicle model. The geographical area also plays a significant role. According to the NICB, Washington D.C., California, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada have the highest vehicle theft rates in the country.

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A parole-violating suspect engaged in a police pursuit, which led to a major collision in the San Fernando Valley. The incident, as reported by the Los Angeles Police Department, involved officers from the Devonshire Division initiating chase of a gray Acura around 7:10 a.m. Tuesday.

The police subsequently called off the pursuit, the initiating location of which was not disclosed. The Acura was reported to have crashed into three other vehicles at the intersection of Balboa Boulevard and Nordhoff Street in Northridge, after the termination of the pursuit. The incident was confirmed by LAPD officer Miller.

The suspect was subsequently taken into custody and for medical checks at a local hospital. Although no immediate reports of other injuries were available, two ambulance units were dispatched to the scene as a precaution, according to Officer Miller. In a scene shot by Sky5, three heavily damaged vehicles were evident, with a fourth vehicle located nearby, roped off with caution tape.

As a result of the incident and ongoing investigations, a segment of Nordhoff and Balboa streets in each direction has been closed off, causing delays on residential streets as drivers seek alternate routes. The incident follows a similar event that took place less than 24 hours prior, involving the demise of 36-year-old deputy Hector Cuevas. The suspect in that incident, Ryan Dwayne Turner Jr., was apprehended and will face charges for vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and evading a police officer resulting in serious injury or death.

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In a recent turn of events, information has come to light regarding a fatal high-speed pursuit on March 17, 2025, involving a San Bernardino County Sheriffs Deputy. During a press conference held late in the afternoon, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus revealed the name of the deputy as Hector Cuevas Jr., a veteran with six years of service in the department.

The high-speed pursuit was reportedly initiated when a suspect, now identified as 22-year-old Ryan Dwayne Turner Jr. of San Bernardino, failed to yield in a stolen vehicle. Deputy Cuevas, age 36, collided with another vehicle during the pursuit, resulting in his patrol cruiser being split in half by the force of the impact. The crash, which occurred around 11 a.m. at the intersection of El Evado and Seneca roads, also caused damage to nearby power lines.

A collateral victim, a female occupant of a small black sedan caught in the collision, was transported to the hospital in an unknown state. Sadly, Deputy Cuevas, assigned for the past three years to the Sheriffs Victorville Station, lost his life at the scene of the crash. Aerial images depicted his remains covered with the American flag, preparing for transport.

As per the reports, Deputy Cuevas, remembered as a cops cop and a devout family man, is survived by his wife, two children, parents, and two siblings. The suspect, Turner, who allegedly has a history of evading law enforcement recklessly in Rialto, is now in custody and expected to be charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and evading a police officer resulting in serious injury or death.

Adding to this sequence of events, Governor Gavin Newsom expressed his deep sorrow over the tragic loss of Deputy Cuevas, saying flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space will be flown at half-staff as a mark of respect.

From fender benders to freeway pileups, Pinnacle LLP has California covered. Contact us today for a free consultation.