The city of Downey is facing a lawsuit in connection with a fatal blow that allegedly involved Downey Police Department officials in October.
According to a lawyer for Laval’s family, on October 2, 2024, Raymond Laval was walking along Sedaldale Drive in Santa Fe Springs when he was attacked by a DPD officer.
According to Whittier Daily News, 49-year-old Lavalle, 49, lived on the riverbed along the nearby San Gabriel River Trail.
At the time, the Whittier Police Department, which is investigating the incident in Santa Fe Springs, said that while Lavare’s serious injuries and his body scuffs indicated a hit and run, no information about the suspected driver was available.
As Lavalle’s family lawyers explain, the perpetrator was actually another law enforcement officer who was requested in both law and departmental policies to stop and support injured pedestrians.
Since the crash, Downey Police have been “actively ‘concealing'” the actions of those involved. This was added to the news release as no press release was issued to notify the public, and no criminal charges were filed against officers involved in hit and run.
“The family has remained in the darkness for months on the circumstances surrounding their father’s death,” lawyer Michael Carrillo said at a press conference Tuesday. “We had to pull information from this department because we had never contacted this family.
City officials said that although a DPD official is involved with KTLA’s Lauren Reister, based on Whittier police investigations, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office refused to file charges for the “tragic accident.”
“The conflict occurred at a slow speed in dark areas with poor visibility while pursuing suspects who were actively avoiding police,” the city’s statement said. “After circling south from Telegraph Road to the entrance to the San Gabriel River Trail, the officer’s vehicle struck a pedestrian sitting on the road. The officers were not aware of the collision and were later declared that the victim had died at the scene.”
The Downey Police Department also “expresses the deepest sadness of the victim’s family and friends,” city officials said.
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