Police Chief Asks CHP To Take Lead In Investigation After Civilian Employee Hits Pedestrian

By Times of San Diego Staff:

A pedestrian was hospitalized with major injuries after he was struck by a vehicle driven by an off-duty Escondido Police Department employee, authorities said Saturday.

The crash occurred at 9:43 p.m. Friday at the intersection of North Escondido Boulevard and West Lincoln Avenue, according to an Escondido police press release.

The pedestrian, a 31-year-old Escondido resident, was bleeding in the middle of the street when officers arrived, police said.

The vehicle’s driver, a non-sworn civilian employee, remained at the scene, police said. The employee was not driving a city vehicle at the time of the incident, which happened less than a half mile from the police department’s home on Centre City Parkway.

It has not been determined whether alcohol was a factor in the crash, police said.

Police Chief Ed Varso requested that the California Highway Patrol‘s Border Division assume the investigation.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash was asked to call the CHP Oceanside Area Office at 760-643-3400.

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