BEVERLY HILLS—The Los Angeles Police Department announced in a press release on Tuesday, March 7, that their Police Memorial Service will hold a ceremony for fallen Officer Nicholas Lee, a 16-year police veteran who was killed during a traffic collision on March 7, 2014.
Lee was killed in a traffic collision at the intersection of Loma Vista Drive and Robert Lane in Beverly Hills around 8:00 a.m. on March 7, 2014. Lee and an officer in training were responding to a call when their vehicle collided with the truck, which was carrying a roll-off dumpster. Lee’s passenger and the truck driver suffered critical injuries, but both survived.
A native of Seoul, South Korea, Lee, his parents, and two siblings moved to the United States when he was six years old. He was raised in Koreatown, Los Angeles, and he graduated from University High School in 1991 and California State University, Fullerton in 1996. On August 31, 1998, Lee became a member of the LAPD’s 8B-98 class. He would eventually be transferred to the Van Nuys Division upon completing his academic training.
He would later be assigned to the Juvenile Car in 2003 upon being selected as Police Officer III, the Wilshire Division in 2005, where he served as a Field Training Officer, and Wilshire Vice. In 2008, he worked patrol as a Field Training Officer for the Hollywood Division.
In 2015, the truck driver involved in the incident, Robert Maldonado of Pacoima was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter. Maldonado pleaded not guilty to the charges. His defense attorney, Andrew Flier, asserted that Maldonado’s actions did not vindicate a criminal case, as the truck reportedly experienced maintenance issues. The California Highway Patrol noted that the brakes on the vehicle were defected. Flier added that his client took the vehicle in for maintenance service, after the incident, and that the case was criminal because Lee was a police officer. Maldonado was arrested and released on a $50,000 bail.
LAPD Police Chief Charlie Beck released the following statement after Lee’s death in 2014:
“Nick was a great cop. His hard work, dedication and leadership helped mold young police officers into law enforcement professionals. Nick’s death is a great loss to our police family, all of law enforcement and the residents of Los Angeles. The LAPD is forever grateful for the 16 years he spent protecting our great City. I send my most sincere thoughts and prayers to his wife, two daughters, and the entire Lee family.“
The ceremony will be held at Forest Lawn Cemetery’s Court of Freedom in Glendale, CA on Tuesday, March 7 at 12:00 p.m. LAPD Personnel and Lee’s family and friends have been invited to attend.
He is survived by his wife, Cathy Kim, and two daughters, Jalen and Kendall.