An Oakland police officer was fired last year after investigators ruled he was not truthful in a written statement about an injury crash caused by his speeding patrol vehicle while on-duty, accordi…
An Oakland police officer was fired last year after investigators ruled he lied in a written statement about an injury crash caused by his speeding patrol vehicle while on duty, according to newly released police records.
According to the report’s background notes, an officer reviewing the crash in late January 2021 noticed discrepancies, including the officer’s statement that his patrol vehicle was traveling at about 25 mph and the other party attesting the officer had been traveling at about 60 mph. While making a left turn onto International Boulevard, he was suddenly approached by a police patrol vehicle without lights and sirens, and struck. The driver, who said he was wearing his seatbelt, was left with complaints of pain to his back, head, neck and shoulders, and later went to a San Leandro hospital for injury treatment. He said no officers at the scene took any statement from him.
Garcia appeared shaken at the scene but told others he was not hurt. However, he called a sergeant the next day and said he was injured and did not come back on duty for about a week, delaying the sergeant’s collection of a statement from him. When Garcia returned to duty, he filled out and signed a statement attesting to his version of events, including his 25-mph speed.