The driver of the car that hit and killed a La Mesa police officer on eastbound Interstate 8 in Grantville late Monday was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, the California Highway Patrol said Thursday.
La Mesa Police Department officer Lauren Craven, 25, was outside of her vehicle rendering aid for a deadly crash near Fairmount Avenue before 10:30 p.m. when she was struck by a Toyota Camry driven by a 38-year-old man from La Mesa. The CHP did not provide the man’s name on Thursday. A driver in the initial crash, identified by family members as 19-year-old De’Veonte Morris, also died.
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CHP Captain Reggie Williams on Tuesday detailed the chain of events that involved five vehicles and resulted in two deaths and multiple injuries.
It began when two cars crashed on the eastbound I-8, Williams said. One of those vehicles overturned in the lanes and was struck by another car. Morris, who was in the overturned vehicle, died.
That’s when Craven, who was on duty, stopped and got out of the car to render aid. Another car approached and hit the officer, as well as the other crashed cars. A fifth vehicle then slammed into the crash scene, Williams said.
The Toyota driver was taken to a local hospital with moderate injuries, the CHP said Thursday, before being arrested on suspicion of DUI.
The other people in the five-car pileup were treated for minor to moderate injuries.
It is unknown what caused the initial crash. The CHP is handling the investigation.
Craven was relatively new to the force, joining the La Mesa Police Department in February 2024, but her death was felt by departments and municipalities across Southern California.
“It is with deep sorrow that we share the tragic loss of La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven, who was killed in the line of duty late Monday night,” La Mesa police wrote in a social media post.
La Mesa police said the 25-year-old officer was on her way back to La Mesa from San Diego Central Jail when she stopped for the crash.
“Officer Craven’s actions in her final moments exemplified her unwavering dedication to service and the safety of others—a reflection of how she lived every day. Officer Craven was known for her tenacity, courage, and compassion—qualities that inspired her peers and strengthened her community,” the department said.
Morris’ family told NBC 7 he was loving, caring, respectful and helped to take care of his little brother.
Although the crash occurred on Monday night, CHP kept the roadway closed for an investigation on Tuesday morning. The freeway was reopened by 1 p.m.
Williams used the tragic crash to remind drivers to always look out for flashing lights when on the road.
“We ask the public, when you see lights on the roadway, slow down and move over; that is actually the law. It places us in severe danger when you fail to do so, as we see what happened last night. Please, if you see lights, do your due diligence and slow down and move over,” CHP Cpt. Williams said.
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