News sources reported that a Hawthorne motorcycle officer was killed in a collision with a fellow motorcycle officer while working to control traffic in a funeral procession for a fallen officer.
The crash happened when Hawthorne police office Andrew Garton was helping to escort a funeral procession with fellow officer Sgt. Rex Fowler of the El Segundo Police Department. It was not immediately apparent what caused the accident although one witness said the officers were traveling at high speeds.
Joe Dixon said the officers were traveling “way too fast.” “It looked like they were definitely leap-frogging, trying to get ahead of the procession,” Dixon said.
Motorcycle officers usually speed between intersections to stop traffic and allow processions to pass through traffic lights unhindered. Once the last car of the procession is through the light, they will speed to the next intersection and so on.
Officer Garton was thrown into oncoming traffic and struck head-on by a sedan. Sgt. Fowler sustained a broken leg but has been reported as in stable condition. The driver of the sedan was uninjured. The CHP is investigating the accident.
As a car accident lawyer and motorcyclist, it saddens me when I hear of an officer being hurt or killed in a traffic accident. Our law enforcement officers do so much to protect and help our communities; I am positive that Officer Garton will be missed. His accident is a sobering example of the need to exercise extreme caution when riding a motorcycle. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a motorcycle accident due to the negligence of another, call a Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer today to discuss your rights and legal options.
