Oxnard cops Run over, Kill Woman; Flee

Jerome Baker · 06-13-2006, 11:39 AM

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) - Authorities were investigating how two police officers patrolling the beach in an SUV ran over and killed a sunbather and didn't immediately realize what had happened.

The officers in the Chevrolet Tahoe continued driving Monday afternoon but were dispatched to the scene after a witness called 911 to report the woman was bleeding, police Cmdr. Tom Chronister said in a statement.

The woman was identified as Cindy Conolly, 49, of Sioux City, Iowa. Mike Feiler, senior deputy medical examiner in the Ventura County coroner's office, said she was staying at the nearby Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort with her fiance and several family members to attend her son's wedding.

"Obviously, they're devastated," Feiler said.

The officers, who were not immediately identified, had stopped on a small berm of sand to observe a swimmer they thought was in distress. When they saw the swimmer was fine, they drove forward and apparently ran over Conolly's head as she was lying on the berm's downward slope, authorities said.

"Given the soft nature of the sand and the size of the vehicle, it would have been easy for them to not sense that they had ran over something," Feiler said, adding the officers likely couldn't see Conolly at the bottom of the berm.

The officers have been placed on paid leave pending an investigation into the incident.

"They're extremely sorry for the victim as well as her family," police Cmdr. Steve Blanchard said.

Conolly carried no identification when her body was found, though authorities believed she may have been a hotel guest since her towel belonged to the Embassy Suites.

Investigators worked with the hotel staff for nearly seven hours to find someone who may have known the woman, Blanchard said.

Meanwhile, Conolly's relatives grew concerned when she didn't return to the hotel and began searching for her. When they ran into a television news crew and told the reporter and her cameraman they were looking for a missing woman, they were urged to call police, Blanchard said.

Oxnard is located about 55 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/sto...15078892c.html

Bet they get a suspension with pay.

Mens Rea · 06-13-2006, 11:45 AM

Reading between the lines:

"observe a swimmer they thought was in distress" = "check out hot co-eds apply lotion to eachother"

ThRiLl · 06-13-2006, 11:51 AM

Nice thread title, you should be a journalist.

I would hardly describe their actions as "fleeing."

Mens Rea · 06-13-2006, 11:53 AM

I smell a wrongful death suit.

Jerome Baker · 06-13-2006, 12:05 PM

Hey, you have to have a catchy title to get people's attention.
And they didn't stop when they ran over her head, that's fleeing.
It's pretty wierd that they got called back to the scene of the woman they just ran over tho.

ghertr · 06-13-2006, 12:07 PM

oxnard? AHHHHHHHH!!!!

...sorry, wrong thread...

Traveller · 06-13-2006, 12:29 PM

People from Oxnard are fucking stupid.

kartaron · 06-13-2006, 12:32 PM

Should have cited her for impeding a roadway.

rstrik · 06-13-2006, 12:35 PM

Aren't you suppose to look at the ground when driving on the beach for things like pedestrians sunbathing? How stupid can you be to run over a persons head laying on the beach....

Stoic1 · 06-13-2006, 01:10 PM

You aren't familiar with the word, 'berm' are you?