California officer, 25, is struck and killed as she stops to help at freeway crash site
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- La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven, 25, was struck and killed while stopping to help at a crash site on Interstate 8.
- Both Craven and the driver of the overturned vehicle she was assisting died in the incident in San Diego County.
- It was the first line-of-duty death in the department’s history; Craven had been with La Mesa police since 2024.
A 25-year-old police officer was struck and killed after she stopped to help a motorist in an overturned vehicle on a freeway in San Diego County on Monday night, authorities said.
La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven was on her way back to La Mesa from a jail around 10:30 p.m. when she came across the vehicle on Interstate 8 and stopped to assist, according to a statement from police. After exiting her vehicle to help, she was hit by another driver.
Craven and the driver of the overturned vehicle both died.
Craven had been with the La Mesa Police Department for about a year and a half, starting with the patrol division in 2024. It was the first line-of-duty death in the department’s history, said La Mesa Police Lt. Travis Higgins.
“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 statement said.
Flags at the California Capitol flew at half-staff Tuesday in honor of Craven, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
“Officer Craven served her community with pride and dedication,” Newsom said in a statement. “Jennifer and I are heartbroken by her loss and the significant impact her passing leaves on the larger San Diego community.”
City News Service contributed to this report.
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