{"id":75754,"date":"2025-11-05T02:36:23","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T02:36:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/downtownlalaw.com\/?p=75754"},"modified":"2026-06-16T19:17:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T19:17:50","slug":"dashcam-footage-shows-lapd-cruiser-fatally-striking-skateboarder-in-highland-park-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downtownlalaw.com\/es\/injuries-attorney\/dashcam-footage-shows-lapd-cruiser-fatally-striking-skateboarder-in-highland-park-ca\/","title":{"rendered":"Dashcam Footage Shows LAPD Cruiser Fatally Striking Skateboarder in Highland Park, CA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dashcam Footage Shows LAPD Cruiser Fatally Striking Skateboarder in Highland Park, CA<\/h1>\n
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INJURY ACCIDENT LAWYERS<\/h1>\n

Dashcam Footage Shows\nLAPD Cruiser Fatally\nStriking Skateboarder in\nHighland Park, CA<\/h1>\n\"\"\n

Free Case Review<\/h1>\n

(<\/span>855)<\/span> 339–<\/span>8879<\/a><\/h1>\n\"\"\n

Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department have recently released dashcam and body-worn video footage of a fatal collision involving officers and a 30-year-old man in Highland Park earlier this year. The incident occurred on September 19, 2025 at approximately 7:17pm as officers were responding to a police perimeter on Figueroa Street and Piemont Avenue; the officers were driving with their lights and sirens on at the time of the incident.<\/p>\n

According to authorities, the officer behind the wheel of the police<\/a> vehicle moved into the center median to navigate through traffic when Gerardo \u201cJerry\u201d Estrada, who was riding a skateboard in the median, was fatally struck.<\/p>\n

Officers pulled over and requested a rescue ambulance. Officers located the victim wedged under a parked car nearby, according to LAPD Capt. Mike Bland. Officers removed Estrada from under the vehicle and rendered aid until paramedics arrived. Shortly after, medical personnel with the local fire<\/a> department arrived and declared Estrada deceased at the scene.<\/p>\n

The authorities have not confirmed the speed that the officer was driving when the incident occurred, although they have claimed that officers where not driving in excess of speed. According to witnesses attending a nearby carnival, however, the impact was so loud that they thought two vehicles had crashed.<\/p>\n

At a vigil the night after the fatal incident, Estrada\u2019s mother said that her son was heading home from work that night when the incident happened. He worked as a host and bartender at a restaurant in the Arts District and dreamed of a career in photography and in film.<\/p>\n

The incident remains under investigation by the LAPD\u2019s Traffic Coordination Division, Multidisciplinary Investigation Team.<\/p>\n

Family of the victim could have the right to file a lawsuit<\/a>. If you are interested in pursuing a claim for wrongful death in this accident or in a similar accident,<\/a> it is important that you seek legal help as soon as possible. You could have the right to recover compensation. To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the legal options available to you and your family, please do not hesitate to reach out to our accident attorneys here at our law firm<\/a> as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

The accident attorneys here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group has decades of experience and are fully committed to fighting for your rights and helping you and your family recover the compensation that you are owed. Contact our legal team today for more information about the options available to you.<\/p><\/div>\n

Understanding the General Rule of Government Vehicle Liability<\/span>\n

Under California law, public entities, like police departments, can be held liable for the negligent actions of their employees, including police officers, if the employee was acting within the scope of their employment. However, it is important to note that certain immunities and exceptions may apply when emergency vehicles responding to calls are involved in incidents.<\/p>\n

The Emergency Vehicle Exception \u2013 <\/b>In general, police vehicles are required to follow all traffic laws. However, under Vehicle Code \u00a721055, an officer is exempt from certain traffic rules (which may include speed limits, stop signs, red lights, etc.) if both of the following points are true:<\/p>\n