Los Angeles — A former LAPD officer, Edgar Verduzco, 34, admitted guilt to murder and DUI charges following a fatal high-speed collision that claimed the lives of three family members in 2017. The crash, which occurred while Verduzco was off-duty, involved excessive speed and resulted in a devastating fire on the San Gabriel River Freeway in Santa Fe Springs.
On that tragic night of September 26, 2017, Verduzco’s vehicle, traveling at an estimated 151 mph, collided with a Nissan carrying the Davila family and subsequently a Toyota Scion. The impact was so severe that the Davila’s car was sent into the center divider and erupted in flames, leading to the deaths of UC Riverside student Oscar Davila, 19, and his parents, Mario, 60, and Maribel Davila, 52. Occupants of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries.
In court, Verduzco faced three counts of murder alongside charges of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury and driving with a 0.08 percent blood alcohol content causing injury. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman emphasized the egregiousness of Verduzco’s actions, highlighting the former officer’s awareness of the dangers posed by such reckless behavior due to his professional background.
Evidence presented during the proceedings included data retrieved from Verduzco’s 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, which began braking less than a second before the impact. Additional damning testimony came from other drivers on the freeway that evening, one of whom, Javier Omar Quintanilla, expressed dismay at the extreme speed of Verduzco’s car moments before the crash.
Eyewitness accounts added personal harrowing details to the scene. Berly Alvarado, who was in the Scion with her young son, recounted her car spinning out of control after the collision, while highlighting the minor physical injuries they sustained, a stark contrast to the catastrophic loss suffered by the Davila family.
Responding officers, including California Highway Patrol Officer Gersain Chavez, described the scene as chaotic. Chavez noted the smell of alcohol on Verduzco, who initially denied consuming any alcohol that evening. Hospital tests later revealed Verduzco’s blood alcohol content stood at 0.13%, well above the legal limit.
The court also heard about Verduzco’s previous experiences with the dangers of drinking and driving, given his background in law enforcement. In fact, three of Verduzco’s training officers testified regarding his presence at multiple DUI arrests, suggesting an acute awareness of the potential consequences of drunk driving.
Further complicating Verduzco’s defense was the discovery of an Instagram post shortly before the crash, depicting an animated figure in a car with deployed airbags over a bar scene, tagged with #dontdrinkanddrive.
The fallout from the incident led to Verduzco’s dismissal from the LAPD by mid-2018. Meanwhile, the legal process and a community’s mourning culminated in the closure of the southbound freeway for several hours to manage the investigation and aftermath.
In the wake of the tragedy, a GoFundMe page highlighted the Davilas’ active involvement in their church and the Riverside community, underscoring the void left by their untimely deaths. As the case moved towards sentencing, with Verduzco facing 15 years to life, the incident stands as a somber reminder of the responsibilities inherent in police service and the devastating consequences of neglecting those duties.