2 officers suspended after fatal crash
Police chief cites `irregularities and discrepancies' in death of pedestrian
OAKLAND >> Two Oakland police officers placed on leave during an investigation into a fatal weekend collision that killed a pedestrian have been suspended because of new and “seriously concerning” information about a pursuit that preceded the crash.
The early Sunday collision killed 28-year-old Hayward man Lolomanaia Soakai and injured three other people. Police apparently were pursuing a car being driven by Arnold Azael Linaldi, who first was seen leaving an East Oakland sideshow and driving at speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour before plowing into multiple vehicles.
On Wednesday, television news station KTVU reported, citing anonymous sources, that the officers had engaged in an unauthorized pursuit, then fled the scene after the horrific crash. At a hastily called news conference after the story broke, Oakland police Chief LeRonne Armstrong offered only limited detail about the investigation into the collision, saying that both officers had served the department for about a year and a half.
Armstrong said Wednesday that the department “has identified several areas in his investigation that are seriously concerning” and added that he had suspended the officers, in part because of what he called new video evidence and witness statements, after Monday's news conference announcing the investigation.
When asked directly why he had suspended the officers, Armstrong said, “We
identified potential misconduct, very serious potential misconduct within our investigation.”
He answered some reporters' questions, explaining that officers typically placed on administrative leave aren't usually relieved of policing powers.
Armstrong declined to answer specific questions about the officers' alleged response in the incident, citing the ongoing investigation and the possibility of “significant findings that could potentially lead to one's termination.”
He added that department policies are clear about “the way in which an officer should conduct herself, the permissions that they need in order to pursue a vehicle.”
Armstrong said other patrol vehicles were in the area when the crash happened.
Those officers' interviews,
as well as video evidence and some social-media posts, would help establish a timeline of events for use of lights and sirens, and other actions, he said.
In response to a final question asking whether the officers in question left the scene of the crash before returning, Armstrong said in part that “we're exploring all of those officers' actions from the minute they make contact with the vehicle to the accident, to after the accident, to how the investigation was handled.”
Although he expressed displeasure with what he described as “information … leaked out to the public,” he insisted that the department would continue to be transparent about the process and its results.
“Any detailed information that is released could compromise this very important investigation,” he said. “When someone's life
is lost, when officers engage in incidents that we are looking deeply into, it's important that we do investigations that are thorough, comprehensive and complete.”
Linaldi, who was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after medical clearance and briefly was held at Santa Rita Jail, bailed out of custody shortly after attending an arraignment hearing Tuesday at an Oakland courtroom.
As of 9 p.m. Wednesday, a GoFundMe fundraising campaign set up Sunday evening to raise money for Soakai's mother and brother had raised $1,700, surpassing initial goals of $1,000 and then $1,400. This campaign was online at gofundme.com/f/lovefor-lolo-in-honor-of-lolomanaia-soakai.