A young police officer was tragically killed while trying to save motorists on a California highway.
Lauren Craven, a 25-year-old officer with the La Mesa Police Department, was returning from the San Diego Central Jail at around 10.20pm on Monday when she came across a rollover crash involving two vehicles on Interstate 8, NBC San Diego reports.
She then got out of her patrol vehicle, radioed for help and began to aid those involved in the collision – which began when a driver in the eastbound lanes lost control of his vehicle and overturned, before being struck by another car.
While Craven was taking the report of the initial accident, she was struck by another oncoming vehicle that also hit the overturned car, killing both Craven and the driver inside, California Highway Patrol officers said.
They noted that officers on the scene performed lifesaving measures on Craven, but she was pronounced dead before she could be taken to a hospital.
Authorities are now investigating whether drugs and/or alcohol may have been a factor in the collision, that also took the life of 19-year-old De’Veonte Morris.
In the meantime, community members have brought flowers to the local police precinct as Craven’s fellow officers remembered her for her selflessness, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
‘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,’ the La Mesa Police Department wrote on Instagram.
La Mesa Police Department Officer Lauren Craven, 25, was tragically killed while responding to a collision on Interstate 8 on Monday
Authorities say she was returning from the San Diego Central Jail when she came across a rollover crash involving two vehicles on Interstate 8
California Highway Patrol officers tried lifesaving measures, but Craven was pronounced dead before she could be taken to a hospital
‘Officer Craven was known for her tenacity, courage and compassion – qualities that inspired her peers and strengthened her community.’
At a news conference on Tuesday, Police Chief Ray Sweeney told how Craven had just joined the force in the patrol unit in February 2024.
Before that, she had spent most of her life in Oregon, where Sweeney said she fostered a passion for the outdoors. She then graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a bachelor’s degree in international studies.
But as she was applying to join the police force, Sweeney said she wrote a note saying: ‘It has always been my passion to serve others, and there has never been a doubt in my mind being a law enforcement officer is what I was meant to do.’
‘That’s who Lauren was and that’s how she served and how she will be remembered,’ the police chief said.
He went on to call the fallen officer a ‘light’ whose ‘positivity was immediate and genuine.
‘Whether helping a colleague, answering a stranger’s question or stepping into a difficult case that she was working, she led with compassion, courage and professionalism.’
‘We didn’t just lose an officer, we lost a beloved daughter, sister, girlfriend, teammate and friend,’ Sweeney said.
De’Veonte Morris, 19, was also killed in the rollover collision
Authorities say he lost control of his vehicle and overturned, when is car was struck by another vehicle in the eastbound lanes
Craven was attempting to get a statement when another vehicle struck her and Morris’ overturned car, killing them both
Craven’s death marks the first line-of-duty fatality in the La Mesa Police Department’s 105 year history.
‘This is an incredibly difficult day for our close-knit community,’ La Mesa City Manager Greg Humora told Fox 5 San Diego as he encouraged officers to take advantage of the department’s ‘robust and comprehensive mental health wellness program.’
Governor Gavin Newsom also honored Craven by ordering flags at the State Capitol to be flown at half mast.
‘Officer Craven served her community with pride and dedication,’ he said.
‘Jennifer and I are heartbroken by her loss and the significant impact her passing leaves on the larger San Diego community. We join her family, friends and fellow officers in mourning.
‘May her memory never be forgotten.’
Craven is survived by her mother, Karen; her father, David; her sister, Margot; and her boyfriend, Miles.
