Calif: 25-year-old officer killed while tending to victims involved in multi-vehicle rollover crash

Motorists travel on Interstate 8 as a sign encourages hand washing on March 15, 2020 in San Diego, California. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday called for the cancellation of events of 50 or more people for the next eight weeks to attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) / Officer Lauren Craven; La Mesa Police Department — Motorists travel on Interstate 8 on March 15, 2020, in San Diego, California. (COVID-19). (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) / Officer Lauren Craven; La Mesa Police Department

OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
4:11 PM – Thursday, October 23, 2025

A California police officer was killed this week in the line of duty as she stopped to help victims of a collision on Interstate 8 in San Diego.

Officer Lauren Craven, 25, of La Mesa, was fatally struck by a car on Sunday, October 20^th. She celebrated her 25^th birthday earlier this month on October 7^th.

The La Mesa Police Department suffered its first line-of-duty death with the loss of Officer Craven, who joined the department in February last year and served in the Patrol Division.

Late on Monday, after 10 p.m., Officer Craven was driving back from the San Diego Central Jail when she came across a multi-vehicle rollover crash on the 8 freeway, northeast of San Diego and just west of La Mesa.

She promptly reported the accident via radio and, without waiting for a dispatch, stepped out of her patrol vehicle to assist those involved.

However, tragically, an oncoming vehicle struck and killed her at the scene. The driver of the overturned vehicle she was assisting, 19-year-old De’Veonte Morris, also perished in the incident, according to his family — as reported by NBC 7 San Diego.

The crash involved five vehicles in total, with the initial collision leading to a chain reaction.

Several other individuals were injured as well and at least one of the victims was hospitalized, though specific details about the number of injured parties and severity of their injuries have not been publicly disclosed.

“This is a very tragic situation, and it’s very difficult for all involved,” La Mesa Police Department Chief Ray Sweeney said during a news conference. “My heartfelt condolences are with the La Mesa Police Department, our fellow brothers and sisters in law enforcement, as well as with the family and loved ones of the other individual who tragically lost their life in this incident.”

“Officer Craven’s actions, in her final moments, exemplified her unwavering dedication to service and the safety of others—a reflection of how she lived every day,” La Mesa Police Department said on Facebook. “Officer Craven was known for her tenacity, courage, and compassion—qualities that inspired her peers and strengthened her community.”

San Diego Sheriff Kelly Martinez’s office posted on X, “Officer Craven’s bravery and dedication to serving others exemplify the highest values of law enforcement. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and the entire La Mesa Police Department as they navigate through this heartbreaking loss.”

Several other law enforcement officials and departments across the state have mourned the loss of the young police officer, including the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, the San Francisco Police Department, the Pasadena Police Department, and the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office.

Her father, David Craven, told ABC 10 San Diego that she was inspired to go into law enforcement after she was “traumatically assaulted in college” and offered compassion from a detective.

“Lauren thought so much of the difference between those two that she said right then and there, ‘I want to dedicate my life to being that good cop for anybody who needs me,’” the grieving father said.