A 3-year-old boy died in Alabama after he was left alone in a scorching car by a child protective services worker — immediately after leaving a supervised visit with his dad.

Ke’Torrius Starks Jr., who had been living in temporary foster care, was left in the Department of Human Resources worker’s car in Birmingham for five hours Tuesday as temperatures soared to 108 degrees, AL.com reported.

“This is a parent’s worst nightmare,” the child’s parents said in a statement. “Our baby should be alive.”

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Former camper, counselor remember Dick Eastland as ‘father figure’ who made the ultimate sacrifice

it is with our deepest regrets to report this, Camp Mystic director Dick Eastland, lost his life saving the kids at his camp that he purchased in 1974!

Camp Mystic director Richard “Dick” Eastland died while attempting to rescue campers during catastrophic flooding that tore through parts of Central Texas. He is among 59 people confirmed dead so far in Kerr County. Of the victims, 38 are adults and 21 are children.

The camp director and co-owner of Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, died in the catastrophic flooding as he reportedly raced to save the lives of his young campers.

Dick Eastland, who purchased the camp in 1974, died after the wall of water crashed through the Christian summer camp, which is located along the banks of the Guadalupe River, Texas Public Radio reported.

The report cited a Facebook post from Eastland’s nephew, though the post has since been taken down.

Counselors, former campers and politicians who knew Eastland praised him for his heroic actions and ultimate sacrifice to save his campers.

“Camp Mystic’s Dick Eastland no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers,” Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, wrote on X. “For decades he and his wife Tweety poured his life into loving and developing girls and women of character. Thank you Mr. Eastland. We love you and miss you.”

Pfluger said two of his daughters were at the camp when it was evacuated during the flooding, and they have since been reunited.

Dick Eastland, director of Camp Mystic, died while trying to save campers during a flash flood. (Camp Mystic)

Paige Sumner, a former camper and friend of Eastland, wrote in Kerrville Daily Times that Eastland “was the father figure to all of us” during summers at the camp.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers,” Sumner wrote. “He had already saved so many lives with the gift of Camp Mystic.”

Kathatine Somerville, a camp counselor at Camp Mystic’s Cypress Lake location, told “Fox News Live” on Sunday that the camp director was among the “most selfless men in the whole world.”

“He was an inspiration to so, so many,” she said. “He was a father figure, a comforting force in the uncertainty of everything. He guided us in our faith and our activities. He always told us to make new friends and to share our love with everyone.”

Items lie scattered inside a cabin at Camp Mystic after deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (REUTERS/Sergio Flores )

There were 750 attendees at the camp when the catastrophic flood happened.

Over a dozen campers were confirmed dead as of Sunday afternoon, Kerr County officials said. One counselor and 11 campers remained unaccounted for.

Officials search on the grounds of Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

The death toll across Central Texas climbed to nearly 70 on Sunday.

Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told reporters during a news conference Sunday morning that of the 59 confirmed dead, there were 38 adults and 21 children. source

My friend, Dick Eastland: Locals mourn loss of Camp Mystic’s longtime owner and director

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (Good Shepherd News) –– A 21-year-old Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who was killed in a crash in Santa Clarita has been identified.

Deputy Daniel V. Chavira died after a three-car collision Monday afternoon on San Francisquito Canyon Road.

Chavira, who was off duty at the time, sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, where he later died.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of one of our own, who was taken from us far too soon,” said Sheriff Robert Luna. “Our Deputy dedicated his life to the service and safety of others, both in and out of uniform. His commitment to public safety was not just a job — it was who he was. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all who knew him.”

“It’s tragic … any way you put it,” Luna added. “But the fact that he’s only 21 years old … incredible young man. We are so fortunate to have hired him. He was providing
excellent service here in the community, on and off duty.”

What we know about Deputy Daniel V. Chavira

Chavira comes from a law enforcement family and joined the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department on May 2, 2024.

He graduated from Academy Class 476 and was assigned to North County Correctional Facility.

Chavira is survived by his father, Rodrigo Valencia, his two brothers, Rodrigo Valencia and Deputy Rene Valencia-Chavira, who works at Lancaster Station, and his wife, Deputy Crystal Valencia, who works at San Fernando Court.

Chavira’s sister, Detective Nancy Alcaraz, and her husband, Deputy Martin Alcaraz, both work at the LASD Palmdale Station.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the deadly crash.

“Unfortunately, we lost one of our very young deputies in an off-duty traffic collision earlier today,” said Sheriff Luna in a video released by a local radio station. “He was transported to this hospital where, unfortunately, he fought valiantly, but lost his life.”

It’s unclear exactly how many other people were injured in the crash, but they were taken to the same hospital by ambulance.

LASD said they were reviewing the deputy’s work schedule and background to determine if he was possibly leaving or driving to work.

A procession for the deputy was held the evening of the crash. A miles-long procession of first responders began at the hospital and slowly made its way down the 5 Freeway toward the coroner’s office in Lincoln Heights. source

Two horses died when they were struck by a driver in Santa Clarita Valley on Monday night, authorities said.

The collision occurred just after 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Iron Canyon and Sand Canyon roads east of Santa Clarita.

One of the victims, a mother, told KTLA she and a group of young girls were crossing onto Iron Canyon Road when they spotted a Nissan sedan traveling towards them at high speeds.

That’s when the mother led her horse to the front of the group as the oncoming car struck her and her daughter, launching them off their horses.

The mother’s horse died at the scene, while her daughter’s horse’s legs were broken. That horse was eventually put down later.

2 horses died after being struck by a sedan in the Santa Clarita Valley on Monday, June 17, 2024. (KNN)

The mother said the crash left her with a shattered knee and her bone was exposed at the time. She had surgery on Tuesday and will require another one scheduled for Wednesday. source

‘Please slow down,’ FAMILY HORSES KILLED in Santa Clarita Valley family injured and pleas after car smashes into horseback riders

slow down, this town is for the hardworking country type, behave or get handled, respect our town when you come through!

A Santa Clarita Valley family is speaking out after a speeding driver crashed into them and their band of horses, hospitalizing one woman, injuring a girl and killing two of the animals.

The crash at about 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Iron Canyon and Sand Canyon roads occurred after Marcela De Vivo says she tried to slow down a speeding Nissan sedan as her 14-year-old daughter, her daughter’s friends and six horses attempted to cross Iron Canyon Road.

“The last two horses were older and slow, so they were still on the road,” she told KTLA’s Kimberly Cheng. “I noticed the car was accelerating, going faster and faster. I started screaming, ‘Hurry, get out of the road.’ … I stayed in the middle waving at the guy, like ‘slow down, slow down,’ but he never did slow down.”

2 horses killed in violent collision in Santa Clarita Valley

The vehicle crashed into De Vivo, her daughter Isabelle Andrew and the horses they were riding.

De Vivo’s knee was broken, and Isabelle was injured, though she did not require hospitalization. Additionally, De Vivo’s horse Norma Jean died immediately, while Isabelle’s horse, named Husband, was later euthanized due to broken front legs.

“It feels like I lost a family member,” Isabelle said.

The driver of the Nissan remained at the scene, and though De Vivo claims he was speeding, the investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing.

The family said GPS systems navigate drivers into their area to avoid traffic, and these drivers need to be more aware of where they’re traveling.

“It’s a highly equestrian community, signs all over, horses every day,” said Owen Andrew, De Vivo’s husband. “Please slow down.”  source

California woman Brenda Duran is survived by her husband and 3 children

A mother’s love knows no boundaries.

That was especially true on May 9 when Brenda Duran jumped into the San Joaquin River in central California to rescue her drowning daughter.

The mom watched her children playing in the water of a popular beach, but when her 11-year-old daughter could not keep her head above water, Duran rushed into the river, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office.

As she sought to save her daughter, Duran “struggled to stay afloat,” the sheriff’s office said, and the river’s current swallowed the mom.

AMERICANS, INCLUDING SOUTH CAROLINA COUPLE, STRANDED BY NORWEGIAN CRUISE SAVE ELDERLY PASSENGER, FAMILY SAYS: SHIP ‘LEFT HER TO DIE’

Brenda Duran, 30, died saving her 11-year-old daughter who was drowning. (GoFundMe)

Her son, 14, saw his mom in trouble and jumped back into the river to try to grab her, but he could not get to her in time, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office.

That was around 6:30 p.m. on May 9. First responders, including rescue dive teams, spent hours in the water, but “visibility and safety” concerns forced the search to be paused around 11 p.m., police said.

VOLUNTEERS’ SEARCH FOR MISSING DAD WHO DISAPPEARED DURING CRUISE EXCURSION COMPLICATED BY JUNGLE TERRAIN

Duran’s body was recovered around 5:30 p.m. on May 11 outside Newman, California. She was just 30 years old.

“Brenda’s husband describes her as a ‘very thriving person, always smiling, never giving up and very compassionate,’” Yadira Herrera wrote on a GoFundMe post on behalf of Duran’s family.

“Brenda, a young mother full of love and laughter, leaves behind her three children, her husband and her extended family that will forever hold her in her heart.”

First responders from all over the area around San Joaquin River tried to find and save Brenda Duran. (Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office)

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office said an autopsy will be conducted later this week to establish an official cause of death.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Brenda Duran during this time,” the sheriff’s office said.

The 366-mile San Joaquin River starts in Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Parks and runs through the San Joaquin Valley south of Sacramento.

San Joaquin River in central California is a popular beach spot. (Google Street view) source

WITH HEAVY HEARTS WE REGRET TO INFORM THE PUBLIC, ANOTHER GOOD MAN DOWN. PLEASE PRAY FOR HIS FAMILY PAIN AND LOSS AND THAT HIS SOUL IS WHERE A GOOD MAN BELONGS, WITH HIS CREATOR, GOD!

GOOD SHEPHERD MEDIA NEWS WANTS TO HONOR THIS FINE YOUNG MAN, AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT UNSELFISH HELPFUL VALOR 

MAY YOU BE WITH GOD NOW, MAY YOU FAMILY HAVE SOME PEACE.

LOS ANGELES – A young man killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the 101 Freeway in Studio City Monday morning has been identified as a recruit firefighter with the Los Angeles Fire Department, officials announced.

The crash was reported just after 5 a.m. on the northbound side of the freeway south of Vineland Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol. A SigAlert was issued shortly afterward, shutting down all northbound lanes in the area.

The recruit firefighter was aiding victims at the scene of the crash when he was killed. His identity has not been released at this time.

A procession was held from the location of the crash site to the LA County Coroner’s Office on N. Mission Road.

“We extend our deepest sympathy to immediate family, friends, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” the LAFD said in a statement. Details regarding the memorial service will be shared as they become available.”

All northbound lanes of the 101 Freeway in the Studio City area remain closed. It’s unknown when lanes will reopen.

No further information was immediately released.  source

Firefighter recruit killed while rendering aid on 101 Freeway in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Fire Department is mourning the loss of a recruit firefighter who was killed while rendering aid following a crash on the northbound 101 Freeway in Studio City Monday morning.

“Shortly after 5 a.m. this morning, an LAFD recruit firefighter was fatally injured while rendering aid at a traffic collision on the 101 Freeway near Vineland Avenue,” Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Erik Scott said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The recruit died from his injuries despite the best efforts of emergency responders, Scott said.

The identity of the recruit was withheld pending full notification of his family.

“We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the immediate family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Scott said.

Sky5 was over the freeway as a procession made its way from the incident site to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office in Boyle Heights occurred around 10:30 a.m.

The incident closed lanes on the northbound 101 Freeway for several hours as an investigation into the death took place.

Details regarding the memorial service will be shared as they become available, the Fire Department stated in a news release.

“May we remember his courage and the courage of all first responders who regularly render aid to the public, whom we are sworn to serve,” Scott said. source

“Danger, no trespassing beyond this point” – it’s a sign you definitely don’t want to ignore

People are flooding to social media in horror over a cave which kills anything pretty much as soon as it goes inside.

If you’re the sort of person who would do what characters do in horror movies, or really what Aladdin did, then you should probably steer clear of this story unless you want to get any dangerous ideas.

Prepare for a new setting for your nightmares:

The deadly cave is located in Costa Rica, South America, on the edge of the Poas Volcano.

According to The Costa Rica Star, the cave is only small – measuring two meters deep and three meters long – but oh is it mighty.

When it was first discovered, a worker reportedly ended up getting sick – and that was only when he got ‘close to the entrance,’ not even inside. And animals have died almost instantly after entering.

But why is the cave so deadly?

Getty Images/ Federico Meneghetti/ REDA&CO/ Universal Images Group

Well, the cave’s oxygen levels are basically non-existent, instead it’s filled with carbon dioxide.

“At higher concentrations it leads to an increased respiratory rate, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias and impaired consciousness. Concentrations >10 percent may cause convulsions, coma and death. Solid carbon dioxide may cause burns following direct contact,” National Library of Medicine notes.

And a team headed up by Guy van Rentergem found the cave produces a whopping 30kg of carbon dioxide every hour, according to Rentergem’s YouTube video ‘Cave of Death in Costa Rica’.

How did so much carbon dioxide end up in the cave I hear you ask?

No one exactly knows, but one X account has suggested it is of ‘organic origin, resulting from underground mineral deposits subjected to high temperatures and pressures in the earth’s magma, where oxygen is absent.’

YouTube/ @gvr63

Despite being too deadly to actually enter, the cave is still a popular tourist attraction, nicknamed ‘Cueva de la Muerte’ (Cave of Death in Spanish).

The tourist center gives a demonstration of just how deadly the attraction is by lighting a torch and poking it into the entrance of the cave, showing how quickly the flame goes out as a result of the lack of oxygen and presence of carbon dioxide.

A sign outside the cave reads: “Danger, no trespassing beyond this point.”

So, even if you wanted to go in, you literally can’t, not only are you banned from entering – we all know some rule breakers out there – but the entrance is only small enough for animals and birds.

People have been flocking to social media in horror over the deadly cave.

One X user said: “Omg it’s terrible.”

“Oh… no no,” another wrote.

A third commented: “Whoa that’s crazy.”

And a final resolved: “Yet another cave I’m never entering.” source

A SINISTER “cave of death” in Costa Rica kills any living creature that dares to step inside.

The deadly cave is located on the edge of the Poas Volcano in Costa Rica and is strictly prohibited from entering.

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Cueva de la Muerte translated to Cave of Death from Spanish is a tourist attraction that doesn’t actually let anyone visit inside.

The terrifying placard outside of it warns: “Danger, no trespassing beyond this point.”

And the images of skulls are just a sign hinting to what could happen to trespassers.

But poor animals that can’t read the warning die instantly when they enter the cavity.

The reason behind eerie phenomenon in the Cave of Death is the high levels of CO2.

The cave itself emits nearly 100 per cent carbon dioxide, a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas that is highly toxic and can be fatal.

Guy van Rentergem and his team found out that the deadly pothole produces 30 kilograms of carbon dioxide per one hour.

Any breathing being that steps inside it dies almost instantly due to CO2 poisoning and lack of oxygen. source

Esther Wojcicki told the Palo Alto Daily of her grandson’s passing, “Kids in college, especially freshmen and sophomores, experiment with everything. I think this was an experiment that went wrong.” She separately told the San Francisco Chronicle: “He ingested a drug, and we don’t know what was in it. One thing we do know, it was a drug.”

Susan Wojcicki stepped down as CEO of the Alphabet-owned subsidiary one year ago, writing in a blog post that after nine years in the role, she’d “decided to start a new chapter focused on my family, health and personal projects I’m passionate about.”

Neal Mohan, then YouTube’s chief product officer, has run the organization since.

I didn’t have the opportunity to interview Wojcicki while she held one of the most prestigious CEO posts in the world. I do remember being captivated by her appearance at a Fortune event in Aspen back in 2015 as she answered questions that she was asked routinely, centering on how she juggled an all-encompassing job with also being a mother to five children. Her interviewer, veteran reporter Adam Lashinsky, was teased in an interview later that same day with brothers Ari and Rahm Emanuel, who noted that Lashinsky didn’t ask them at all about their children. But truthfully,  as a working mother of two children and a considerably less-demanding job at the time, I was also curious how Wojcicki — who gave birth to her youngest child just ahead of the event — handled it all.

Notably, she did not push back on the question. Instead, she talked about associating her different children with different stages of Google’s growth, after first responding, “‘You’re pretty busy’ is maybe the short answer. I love kids, I love work and I think at some level I just love creating things and building. And like kids are very rewarding projects. Building companies is rewarding too and I enjoy doing both.”

My heart now breaks for Wojcicki and her family, which is known far beyond their home in Silicon Valley and includes 23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki; Susan and Anne’s sister Janet, a professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco; and their mother Esther Wojcicki, herself a renowned educator who has written extensively on how to raise successful children.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Esther Wojcicki told the SF Chronicle that the family is speaking with the press in part to “prevent this from happening to any other family.”

“Tragedy is very hard to sustain,” she told the Chronicle. “It makes you want to hide in a closet and never come out. But I think the main thing is that we need to push forward to see what we can do to help other people so there won’t be any other kids who end up like Marco.”

Presumably, his death is already sparking widespread conversations. After hearing of it late yesterday, I reminded my own children of the dangers of today’s drugs, how painfully precious life is, and that no one is immune to calamity.

source

Marco Troper, the son of YouTube’s former CEO Susan Wojcicki, was found dead in his dorm at the University of California, Berkeley, local officials and the student’s family are reporting.

Esther Wojcicki, an American journalist, confirmed her grandson’s death in a Facebook post after he was reportedly found unresponsive on campus last week.

The school in the city of Berkeley is in Alameda County in San Francisco’s Bay Area.

“Tragedy hit my family yesterday,” Wojcicki, 83, wrote in her social media post. “My beloved grandson Marco Troper, age 19 passed away yesterday. Our family is devastated beyond comprehension.”

The Alameda County Coroner’s Office confirmed Troper died Feb. 13 and said it was handling his autopsy.

A spokesperson for the office told USA TODAY Trevor’s cause and manner of death were pending Monday.

Troper, who his grandmother said was in his second semester at Berkeley majoring in math, was the son of Susan Wojcicki, who worked for YouTube from 2014 to 2023.

The American-founded online video sharing and social media platform is owned by Google. source

The actor died after an apparent drowning in a hot tub, law enforcement sources told Fox News Digital

“Friends” star Matthew Perry has died, Fox News Digital has confirmed. He was 54.

Law enforcement sources said the actor was found dead in a hot tub at a house in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles on Saturday. The authorities stated he appeared to have died due to drowning.

According to TMZ, emergency personnel first responded to a call reporting cardiac arrest at the house. No drugs were found on the scene and no foul play is suspected, per the outlet.

According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, law enforcement sources said that authorities responded to Perry’s house at 4 p.m. and found him unresponsive.

The source would not provide a cause of death, per the outlet.

The LA Times reported that the Los Angeles Police Department’s robbery-homicide detectives are investigating Perry’s death.

The actor’s final social media post was shared five days ago. Perry uploaded an image of himself wearing headphones in a hot tub at night to Instagram.

“Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good? I’m Mattman,” he wrote in the caption.

Perry was born on Aug. 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, to parents Suzanne Marie and John Bennett Perry. He was raised in Canada and spent many years of his childhood there before moving to Los Angeles.

The actor was best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom “Friends.” He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer in the show, which ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.

He also took on leading roles in a number of movies, including “Fools Rush In,” “17 Again, “The Whole Nine Yards,” “Three to Tango,” “Almost Heroes,” “The Kid,” and “Getting In.” After “Friends” concluded, Perry starred in television shows such as “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” “Mr. Sunshine,” “Go On” and “The Odd Couple.”

Matthew Perry was only 24 when he was cast in “Friends.” (Mike Pont/WireImage)

The actor also made appearances in the TV series “Charles in Charge,” “Boys Will Be Boys,” “Silver Spoons,” “Growing Pains,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Caroline in the City,” “Home Free,” “Ally McBeal,” “The West Wing,” “Scrubs,” “The Good Wife” and “Cougar Town.”

In 2021, all the main cast members of “Friends” returned to the beloved sitcom’s original soundstage for the HBO special, “Friends: The Reunion.”

Though it was the first time they had all appeared on-screen together since the show wrapped up in 2004, Perry said their off-screen friendships have remained strong over the years.

In November 2022, Perry released his memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” where he wrote about his time of “Friends” and his long battle with drug and alcohol addiction. (David M. Benett/Getty Images)

“It’s a group that really is close and tight-knit and loves each other,” he told People magazine last October.

In November 2022, Perry released his memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing” where he wrote about his time on “Friends” and his long battle with drug and alcohol addiction.

Matthew Perry said in a 2022 interview that he’d been sober since 2021. (Getty Images)

At one extremely low point, Perry said, he was taking 55 Vicodin pills a day and weighed 128 pounds. He revealed he did 15 stints in rehab and underwent 14 surgeries for addiction-related medical issues.

In an October 2022 interview with the New York Times, Perry said he had been sober since early 2021.  source

Matthew Perry’s cause of death listed as deferred: What that means

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office has completed its autopsy of “Friends” actor Matthew Perry, who was found dead at his home Saturday.

Perry was found dead at his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles Saturday, after an apparent drowning, according to FOX News. According to TMZ, emergency personnel first responded to a call reporting cardiac arrest at the house.

Perry detailed his lengthy history of drug and alcohol abuse, including during his time on iconic ’90s sitcom, but TMZ reported that no drugs or alcohol were found at the home.

The LA County Medical Examiner listed Perry’s cause of death as “deferred” Sunday, which according to the office means that an autopsy has been completed, but an official cause of death has yet to be determined. That determination could hang on impending test results like, for example, a toxicology report.

Perry appeared in every episode during “Friends'” 10-season run from 1994-2004, making him one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, starring opposite Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer.

Friends and family shared heartfelt messages about Perry on social media. In a statement to People Magazine, Perry’s family said, “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”

Warner Bros. Television group called Perry “an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family.”

According to People, Perry is survived by his father, actor John Bennett Perry, his mother, journalist Suzanne Morrison, his stepfather, “Dateline” correspondent Keith Morrison, and five siblings — Caitlin Morrison, Emily Morrison, Will Morrison, Madeline Morrison and Maria Perry. source

A Good Man Down; Hero Police officer killed early today in crash on 405 Freeway

Officer Chad Swans on 35 years old, a HERO of 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, just killed in crash on 405 Freeway

Deadly 405 Freeway crash in Carson under investigation

CARSON, Calif. – A Manhattan Beach Police Department motorcycle officer was killed Wednesday in a crash on the 405 Freeway in Carson.

The crash was reported about 5:15 a.m. at Del Amo Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol.

A preliminary investigation revealed a speeding vehicle made an unsafe lane change and collided with another vehicle. That second vehicle then collided into the motorcycle officer, identified as 35-year-old Officer Chad Swanson, who was ejected from his motor, authorities said.

Swanson, a motor officer with the Manhattan Beach Police Department for the last 13 years, was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries.

During a press conference, Lieutenant Kelly Benjamin said Swanson “loved riding his motor, but most importantly Chad loved his wife and three boys.”

“He had an infectious smile and was positive. He was a joy to work with, she added.

She noted that Swanson was in the crowd at the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas when a gunman opened fire on the crowd from a nearby hotel. Benjamin said Swanson helped get people and shooting victims out of the area.

“The entire Manhattan Beach community is mourning the loss of an officer who dedicated his career to ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents,” Manhattan Beach Mayor Richard Montgomery said in a statement.

“His fearless contributions to our community and beyond were marked by bravery, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to duty,” Montgomery said.

Swanson is survived by his wife, three boys, mother, and father.

One other person involved in the crash was hospitalized with minor injuries.

At this time all traffic is being diverted off at Avalon. Authorities said the freeway will be closed until at least noon as the investigation continues. source

Police officer killed in crash on 405 Freeway

A Manhattan Beach Police Department motorcycle officer was killed today in a multi-vehicle crash on the northbound 405 Freeway in the Carson area.

The crash was reported at about 5:15 a.m. at Del Amo Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Information was not immediately available on the identity of the officer, who died at a hospital, the CHP reported.

All northbound lanes were closed in the area while an investigation was conducted into the circumstances of the crash, and traffic was backed up for miles.

According to the CHP’s preliminary investigation:

• The crash that fatally injured the officer, who was believed to have been on duty, involved three other vehicles.

• One of those vehicles, which may have been speeding, made a lane change, hitting another vehicle that went out of control.

• The officer was knocked off the motorcycle by one of the vehicles.

• Another person was transported from the scene for treatment of minor injuries.

The other motorists remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, the CHP reported. source