Baby dies in I-5 crash involving S.J. deputy
STOCKTON — An infant riding in a car died Saturday night following a collision with a San Joaquin County sheriff’s patrol vehicle on Interstate 5 in southwest Stockton, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The two-vehicle collision occurred about 10:38 p.m. on northbound I-5 south of the Charter Way interchange.
The infant was in a Ford sedan being driven by a woman in the third lane from the left. The Ford was being followed by a marked sheriff ’s Chevrolet driven by a patrol deputy when, “for unknown reasons that are currently under investigation,” the sheriff ’s vehicle rear-ended the Ford, sending the Ford to the right off the freeway and down an embankment, according to the CHP.
The deputy, whose identity has not been released by either the CHP or the Sheriff’s Office, got to the Ford first, extricated the infant from the rear and began CPR.
People described as “good Samaritans” by the CHP also rushed to the Ford, extricated the driver and began CPR.
“Emotionally devastating,” was how San Joaquin County Sheriff Pat Withrow described the accident in an interview with ABC10 on Monday afternoon.
“Our prayers are with the family. It’s a horrific thing to happen during this season of peace and joy this Christmas,” Withrow told ABC10.
After medics arrived on Saturday, the infant was flown by helicopter to a children’s hospital where the infant was later pronounced deceased, according to the CHP.
Both the woman and the deputy sustained unspecified injuries in the crash and were transported to area hospitals. The deputy was treated and released. The woman was listed in critical condition, according to information from the Sheriff’s Office.
“I have not spoken to my deputy intentionally. It’s difficult for me. I want to reach out (and) give him hug, actually. I have not spoken so that we don’t have any influence on the investigation,” Withrow said.
There was no indication from either the CHP or the Sheriff’s Office if the infant was properly secured in a car seat. The circumstances preceding the crash also were not provided. The CHP reported that alcohol or drugs are not believed to be a factor in the collision. The incident is being investigated by the CHP’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team and no further official information has been released. The three right lanes of the four-lane northbound side of I-5 were closed for approximately seven hours for the investigation.
Anyone who witnessed or has any information on this collision is asked to contact Officer Sengo at the Stockton CHP area office at (209) 9384800.
Social media identified the driver of the Ford as Kalesha Johnson of Stockton and the infant as her son.