2nd Mistrial Declared in Fatal Wreck Involving ex-Policeman

A mistrial was declared Wednesday after jurors failed to reach a verdict in the trial of a former police officer accused of vehicular manslaughter in the 1983 death of a Van Nuys woman who was riding in his car.

A Van Nuys Superior Court jury deadlocked 11 to 1 in favor of acquitting Derek Jenson, 25, of five felony charges, including manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol.

It was the second mistrial in the case. Jurors deadlocked 10 to 2 in favor of conviction in Jenson’s first trial in November, 1984.

Jenson, who was living in Reseda at the time of the crash but now lives in San Luis Obispo, remains charged in connection with the Reseda crash, but is free on bail.

Judge James A. Albracht set a Sept. 9 hearing to determine if a third trial will be held.

At the time of the accident, Jenson was a member of the South Gate Police Department. He has since left the job, and said he is unemployed. The Police Department would not give details of his departure.

Jurors said Wednesday that they were not convinced that Jenson was behind the wheel at the time of the crash.

Linda Landy, 26, died when Jenson’s sports car allegedly raced through a red light and smashed into a tow truck at Lindley Avenue and Vanowen Street on Nov. 23, 1983. Jenson and another female passenger were injured.

The other woman, Donna Felton, 24, of Reseda, testified that Jenson was driving the car, but Jenson maintained that Felton was driving.