All Los Angeles County flags will be at half-staff in honor of the sheriff’s department recruit who died last week of injuries he suffered when he and other recruits were struck by a wrong-way driver last year, County Supervisor Janice Hahn ordered on Monday.
Alejandro Martinez, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) recruit who was among those hit by a wrong-way driver in Whittier, died of the injuries he sustained during the impact. LASD said he succumbed to his injuries Friday at UCLA Medical Center in Westwood.
“His passing, months after that terrible crash, is nothing short of a tragedy. Our county owes Alejandro a great debt of gratitude we can never repay,” Hahn said in a statement. “My prayers are with his family, his friends, and his fellow recruits. May he rest in peace.”
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LASD announced Martinez’ death in a statement, saying he was surrounded by loved ones and is now in his “eternal resting place.”
“Tragically, he was not able to fulfill his calling of helping others. Our condolences go out to Alejandro's family, friends, and academy classmates,” the department said. “He will forever live in our hearts and never be forgotten. Words cannot express the extent of our gratitude to everyone who assisted, and continue to assist, and helped ease the burden of that very difficult day.”
The crash happened when academy recruits were on a training run the morning of Nov. 16, 2022. During the exercise, the driver of an SUV plowed into the group, injuring 25 recruits. LASD identified the wrong-way driver as 22-year-old Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez of Diamond Bar, who told reporters he had fallen asleep while driving.
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Gutierrez was initially arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer, but was released the following day with LASD saying the case needed further investigation.
