A San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy died from injuries suffered in a traffic collision following a pursuit of a stolen vehicle in Victorville on Monday, March 17; and the suspect being pursued was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and evading.
Sheriff’s deputy Hector Cuevas Jr., 36, died in a crash amid the law enforcement pursuit, authorities said.
The crash happened at El Evado and Seneca roads after deputies began pursuing the reportedly stolen vehicle around 10:58 a.m., said Gloria Orejel, a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Cuevas died from his injuries at the scene.
He had worked in law enforcement for six years and served with the Victorville sheriff’s station for the past three years, according to San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus. Earlier, Cuevas was an officer with the Upland Police Department. Cuevas is survived by his wife, two children, parents, brother and sister.
Dicus said he spent time with Cuevas’ family and his fellow deputies Monday, who described him as a family man and a loyal law enforcement officer.
“Hector is the type of law enforcement officer that we all want to be,” Dicus said. “He was a grand and great protector and a great father, and we will be suffering his loss and supporting his family for quite some time.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement he and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom were deeply saddened by the death of Cuevas and that in his honor, flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space will be flown at half-staff.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and colleagues as they navigate this unimaginable time. His dedication to protecting and serving his community was remarkable, and we are eternally grateful for his service,” Newsom said.
Sheriff’s officials and several area law enforcement agencies led a procession to bring the deputy to the coroner’s office.
Scores of law enforcement officers, their emergency lights on their patrol cars and motorcycles flashing silently, arrived at the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office on Lena Road in San Bernardino shortly after 3 p.m. along with the van containing the deputy’s body. They drove underneath a huge American flag suspended between two fire trucks as firefighters saluted.
The van drove between lines of saluting deputies and into the back of the office. More deputies saluted as the deputy’s body was unloaded and moved into the building.
Several men in civilian clothes huddled in the street before the procession came, one so apparently distraught that he flung his cellphone onto the asphalt pavement. They disappeared into the back parking lot of the Coroner’s Office after the procession arrived.
“Deputy Cuevas dedicated his life to serving and protecting his community with honor, courage and selflessness,” the Sheriff’s Department said on X. “His sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
“Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and fellow deputies during this difficult time,” the department continued. “May they find comfort in the support of those around them and strength in knowing that Deputy Cuevas’ service and dedication will always be honored.”
Another driver was injured in the crash. She was taken to a hospital, but officials didn’t have further updates on her condition.
Police arrested Ryan Dwayne Turner Jr., 22, of San Bernardino on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and evading a peace officer causing death or serious injury.
He was allegedly driving the stolen vehicle that Cuevas and other law enforcement were chasing. The Sheriff’s Department is requesting that he be held without bail.
The crash remains under investigation. No other details were immediately available.
Nineteen San Bernardino County deputies and one K9 have now died in the line of duty, including six in traffic-related crashes.
Through the first nine months of 2024, according to FBI data, 18 officers nationwide died in traffic crashes: Four while engaged in a pursuit, four while en route to a call, two while patrolling, two on traffic stops, one while escorting a funeral procession and five deaths classified as “other.”
Those 18 deaths accounted for more than half of the total of 32 reported accidental deaths through September 2024, the statistics show. (Fifty-four officers died as a result of attacks during that same period.)
From 2001 to 2015, officers were more likely to die from all kinds of on-duty accidental deaths – falls, mistaken shootings, training mishaps and crashes among them – than assaults, according to FBI data. And in that same span, almost two-thirds of the accidental deaths happened in traffic crashes.
Cadets at the San Bernardino County sheriff’s academy undergo rigorous driving training.
They receive 40 hours of driver training, eight in the classroom and 32 behind the wheel at the Emergency Vehicle Operations Center, which features a city grid, a high-speed maneuvers track and a skid pan, where drivers must put a car into a skid on a water-slickened surface and pull it out.