Man charged in death of Los Angeles County sheriff’s recruit in wrong-way crash
A year after a deadly wrong-way crash claimed the life of a Los Angeles County sheriff's recruit and injured several more, a man has been charged in the incident.
Nicholas Gutierrez is facing charges related to the wrong-way crash that happened in Whittier in November 2022, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced Thursday. The crash resulted in the death of Los Angeles County sheriff's recruit Alejandro Martinez-Inzunza, who succumbed to his injuries in July 2023, eight months after the crash, and caused severe injuries to other recruits.
"Even after almost a year, the profound loss of Alejandro Martinez-Inzunza and the lasting impact on the injured recruits continue to deeply affect the community," Gascón said.
"By bringing formal charges against Nicholas Gutierrez, the legal system takes a significant step towards seeking justice in this heartbreaking incident. The aim is to provide a sense of justice and accountability for the lives lost and the lives forever changed as a result of this tragic event," he added.
Alejandro Martinez was one of 25 recruits injured after being struck by an SUV on Nov. 16, 2022, in the city of Whittier while on an early-morning training run, authorities said. The driver, Gutierrez, was going the wrong way down the street when he collided with the group at around 6:29 a.m., officials said at the time.
About 75 recruits were on a run. Most were LA County Sheriff's Department recruits, while others were from nearby police departments, including Pasadena and Glendale.
Gutierrez, 23, was charged Thursday with two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and nine counts of reckless driving on a highway causing a specified injury. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.
Alexandra Kazarian, Gutierrez's attorney, confirmed in a statement to KABC that the suspect turned himself in after being charged.
"Late this afternoon, CHP officers asked that Nicholas surrender himself today. Nicholas did, and as he has for the last 11 and a half months, he and his family continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement. Nicolas and his family are beyond devastated about this horrifically tragic accident," the statement read.
Gutierrez is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 14 at the Bellflower Courthouse.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna released a statement following the announcement of Gutierrez being charged.
"The felony filings today are a step towards justice for the family of Deputy Alejandro Martinez and all the LASD Recruits who were injured, many of whom have life-altering injuries sustained because of this tragic incident. The collaborative efforts among the California Highway Patrol Multi-disciplinary Accident Investigation Team and our Homicide Bureau detectives illustrates our commitment and diligence in holding the individual accountable for this horrific incident," Luna said.
Gutierrez was initially arrested for suspicion of attempted murder on a peace officer, but was later released from the LA County Jail "due to the extreme complexity of the investigation, which includes ongoing interviews, video surveillance review, and additional evidence needed to be analyzed," the LA County Sheriff's Department said at the time.
ABC News' Meredith Deliso and Marilyn Heck contributed to this report.
