WEST HOLLYWOOD—The mother of a pedestrian killed in a sheriff-involved car crash last year filed a law suit this month alleging that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and other driver involved are responsible for wrongful death and negligence.
Jonathan Pena, 27, of Hollywood was one of two pedestrians involved in the collision, which occurred on October 15, 2015 at approximately 11:05 p.m.
Peña and USC Cardiologist, Michael Fong, 40, were struck by an on duty patrol car, which was being driven by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Ahrari and his passenger, Deputy Robert Sandoval at the West Hollywood intersection of Santa Monica and San Vicente Boulevards. Peña died later that night and Fong remained hospitalized until he recovered from the injuries he sustained.
At the time of the collision, the deputies—with lights and sirens activated—were responding to a report of felony spousal assault. The officers were headed east on Santa Monica Boulevard when they clipped the rear of another vehicle, which was being operated by the other named defendant, Virdiana Perez—ran over the curb and struck the pedestrians, the LASD previously reported.
The crash forced emergency responders to extract the deputies from their car. Ahrari and Sandoval were taken to a nearby hospital where they were both listed as being in critical condition, according to reports. Both Ahrari and Sandoval have recovered from injuries sustained.
Patricia Minero, Peña’s mother, is now seeking unspecified damages on claims of wrongful death and negligence. The lawsuit alleges Ahrari lost control of the patrol vehicle while trying to pass Perez’s car, which led him to run over a curb, then the sidewalk striking the pedestrians.
After the accident, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department asked the California Highway Patrol to investigate the matter and determine whether the local sheriff’s deputies were at fault, but the findings have not yet been made accessible to the public, according to an LASD spokesperson.
