Last Updated on December 25, 2017 by CCAR Staff
HAYWARD (BCN) — A California Highway Patrol officer from Tracy died following an alleged DUI collision late Sunday night on southbound Interstate Highway 880 in Hayward, CHP officials said this morning.
The collision was reported at 12 a.m. and involved at least one CHP patrol vehicle. In addition to the CHP officer who died, one other was injured.
CHP Assistant Chief Ernest Sanchez said that Officer Andrew Camilleri, 33, died when a speeding red Cadillac hit the back of a patrol vehicle that Camilleri and another officer were in.
The patrol vehicle was parked on the right shoulder of Highway 880 near state Highway 92. The officers were stopped as part of their efforts to patrol the highway, which involves using tools such as radar, Sanchez said.
The other officer, Jonathan Velasquez, was treated at a hospital and released.
Sanchez said the name of the alleged driver of the Cadillac, a 22-year-old Hayward man, is not being released now. He is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and marijuana and is in serious condition at a hospital.
CHP officials said the suspect was coming home from a party.
“This needs to stop,” Sanchez said, adding that he is not only brokenhearted about Camilleri’s death, but also angry.
He said that it’s not just because the CHP lost one of its own but that too many fatalities have occurred, just in the past couple of weeks, in the Bay area because of people driving under the influence.
Gov. Jerry Brown issued a statement about the loss of the officer.
“Anne and I are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of Officer Camilleri,” Brown said. “We join his family, friends and the entire California Highway Patrol in mourning his death and honoring his sacrifice.” Camilleri is survived by his wife Rosanna, three children; 12, 6 and 2 years old; his parents, a brother and sister.
Flags at the state Capitol will be flown at half-staff in honor of Camilleri, Brown said.
