Jurors Find Evidence Insufficient : Ex-Policeman Acquitted in Fatal Crash

Jurors in the third trial of a former policeman accused of vehicular manslaughter and drunk driving found him not guilty Thursday, saying there was insufficient evidence to show that the Chatsworth man was the driver in the fatal crash.

Two previous juries were unable to reach unanimous verdicts, resulting in mistrials.

A jubilant Derek Jensen, 26, said after the verdict in Van Nuys Superior Court that he was relieved to put the November, 1983, collision behind him.

“There’s no way this can put back what it’s taken out of our lives,” said his mother, Linda Jensen.

Derek Jensen was accused of manslaughter after his sports car reportedly raced through a red light and smashed into a tow truck at Lindley Avenue and Vanowen Street in Reseda.

1 Death, 2 Injuries

Linda Landy, 26, of Van Nuys, a passenger in the car, died. Jensen and Donna Felton, who was also in the car, were injured.

Felton, 24, of Reseda, testified that Jensen was driving the car, but Jensen maintained that she was behind the wheel.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Simon R. Hiller said he continues to believe that Jensen was the driver and has no plans to prosecute Felton.

Jensen was a patrolman for the South Gate Police Department at the time of the crash but left the job shortly after the accident for reasons that were not disclosed.

Jensen said Thursday that he is working in construction but hopes to return to law enforcement, now that he has been cleared of criminal wrongdoing.

In his first trial, in November, 1984, jurors deadlocked 10 to 2 favoring conviction. The second jury deadlocked 11 to 1 in favor of acquittal last August.