A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer off duty is one of the two victims who died this Saturday morning in a traffic accident in Northridge, caused by an apparently drunk driver, authorities reported.
Darrell Cunningham Shamily died in the accident that left three other people hospitalized, including an off-duty San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy.
Today, we mourn the loss of Police Officer II Darrell Cunningham, Serial No. 43884, West Los Angeles Area. While off-duty, he and two passengers were involved in a traffic collision at the intersection of Roscoe Boulevard and Lindley Avenue at approximately 1:15 AM. pic.twitter.com/jku0jj4C0p
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) November 4, 2023
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Mooreconfirmed this Saturday, at a press conference at the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office, that Officer Cunningham died in the accident in Northridge.
Moore said Cunningham served as an LAPD officer for just under five years and that it was last in service just two nights before the accident.
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At approximately 1:15 am this Saturday, the accident was reported at the intersection of West Roscoe Boulevard and Lindley Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).
When emergency services arrived at the scene, they found a huge gush of water due to one of the crashed vehicles hit a fire hydrant.
According to reports, A BMW sedan ended up between an apartment building and a treevehicle from which firefighters rescued three people, the LAFD said.
Officer Cunningham and two other people, described as lifelong friendswere traveling in an Infinity car northbound on Lindley Avenue when their vehicle was struck by the BMW, Moore said.
The driver of the BMW, who was later identified as Brian David Olivárez, traveling at an estimated speed of up to 100 miles per hour and failed to obey a red traffic light before hitting the right side of the Infinity, Chief Moore said.
Cunningham and the passenger in the front seat of the Infinity, whose name was withheld pending notification of family, died at the scene of the accident.
Three people were taken to a hospital in at least serious condition: an off-duty San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputy, who was with Cunningham on the Infinity.
The driver of the BMW and a person traveling in this vehicle were also injured.
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Moore said preliminary investigations revealed that Olivárez was under the influence of alcohol at the time the accident occurredand could be charged with felony vehicular manslaughter, and other additional charges as more evidence is gathered.
This Saturday, before holding the press conference, the LAPD chief and forensic officials were at the scene of the incident, site where a United States flag was displayed in honor of the deceased officer.
From the site of the accident, a procession escorted Cunningham’s bodies and the other deceased person to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office in Boyle Heights.
“(Cunningham) is described as hard-working, honest, a go-to person to get the job done with a great attitude,” Moore said.
Cunningham leaves behind a fiancee and two small children, ages 6 and 3.
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