Motorcycle Deputy Struck by Car Is Badly Hurt

An Orange County sheriff’s deputy was in critical condition Monday after a motorist allegedly drove through a red light and broadsided his motorcycle, hurling him more than 60 feet.

Deputy Steve Edward Parsons, 36, the father of two children and a 10-year department veteran, suffered brain trauma and a number of broken bones in the 10:18 a.m. crash, officials said.

“It was very bad. He flew like a little doll,” said Tina Darrigo, a witness.

The deputy’s wife and his mother waited anxiously as surgeons discussed when to induce a coma that will last up to two weeks, in an effort to control swelling and reduce pressure on his brain.

The collision occurred as Parsons drove east along Laguna Hills Drive and crossed Moulton Parkway just as Sylvia Steinhardt, 77, drove south through a red light.

The traffic signal had been red for some time, according to Darrigo, who was stopped at the light on Moulton when the car passed at about 50 mph and struck the deputy.

The driver did not try to brake and hit Parsons at full speed, sheriff’s officials said. Steinhardt, who lives in Laguna Hills, has a clean driving record, according to DMV officials. She was not arrested or cited as investigators continued probing the cause of the accident.

Investigators from the California Highway Patrol and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department combed through the crash debris, which was strewn hundreds of feet from the point of impact. Many of the deputies appeared shaken.

“This is a close-knit group of guys,” said Sheriff’s Sgt. Ted Boyne after comforting one deputy.

Colleagues, including other motorcycle officers, gathered at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center to support Parsons, who was the first motorcycle officer stationed in Laguna Hills.

“He’s a great guy, a good family man, hard-working and very sincere about his work,” said Sheriff’s Lt. Rex Hatch, who oversees operations in Laguna Hills. “We’re just praying that he comes out of it all right.”

Earlier in the day, Sheriff Mike Carona broke away early from a breakfast with Gov. Gray Davis to visit Parsons’ bedside.

“We’re grateful that he’s in good hands,” Carona said. Noting that the accident followed the one-year anniversary of the slaying of Sheriff’s Deputy Brad Riches, he added, “I don’t want to lose another deputy.”

Because the dangers of working as a motorcycle officer are well known, the officers receive special training and extra pay. There have been two other crashes involving them in the last six months.

The first occurred when a motorcycle deputy traveling through San Juan Capistrano struck a car that swung out of a parking lot and illegally crossed lanes of traffic in front of him, said Sheriff’s Sgt. John Salverson. The deputy suffered broken bones and has not returned to work.

About a month later, another deputy lost control of his motorcycle after striking an unknown object on a freeway exit in Mission Viejo, Salverson said. The deputy broke a leg and is still recovering.