California Sheriff’s Deputy Criminally Charged For Crashing Patrol Car Into 72-Year-Old Woman At 85 MPH


A California Sheriff’s deputy is now facing criminal charges for crashing his patrol car into a 72-year-old woman when he ran a red light at 85 miles per hour last year.

Kern County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholas Clerico is facing one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter with negligence for the September 2014 crash that killed 72-year-old Nancy Garret.

He’s being charged with a misdemeanor instead of a felony because he was running with full lights and sirens, even though an official report faulted him for not slowing down.

“A reasonable person would have known that entering an intersection against a red traffic signal, at 85 mph, and without giving adequate warning to approaching traffic would create a danger to human life.”

The family is also filing a civil suit against the department after a ten-month investigation determined the deputy was at fault for not checking the intersection before he flew through it.

The report shows Nancy’s view was blocked by a nearby Bank of America building, so she couldn’t see the rapidly approaching police cruiser.

The accident happened at approximately 1:45 a.m., on Sept. 28, when deputy Clerico, driving with his lights and sirens on, slammed his patrol car into Nancy Garret’s car.

This isn’t the first crash he’s been in. In 2012, Clerico was involved both in an on-duty and off-duty crash while traveling at high speeds. Officials concluded he was at fault both times, but luckily no one was killed.

He’s not the only Kern County Sheriff’s deputy to feel the need for speed.

A Bakersfield Californian investigation showed that Kern sheriffs had the worst record in 11 counties for officer-at-fault accidents with five fatalities in three years.

In nearby Los Angeles County, officer-at-fault accidents were three times lower.

Records show that before Nancy’s death, Kern deputies spent 110 hours a week driving faster than 80 mph.

One month before Nancy was killed, another Kern deputy took a plea deal when charged with two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Deputy John Swearengin was driving 80 mph in a 45 zone without lights and sirens when he ran into and killed a couple pushing a motorcycle across the street. He was sentenced to 480 hours of community service and probation. The family’s lawsuit cost the county $8.8 million.

That’s still not as bad as the New Jersey police officer who crashed his police cruiser into a Dunkin’ Donuts even though he wasn’t responding to a call at the time. The officer hit another car, crossed the parking lot, and crashed into and through the building. Luckily, no one was injured.

Photo by Stephen Chernin/Getty Images

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