Full case/autopsy report below.
The LA County Department of Coroner determined Richard Mejia, the Long Beach police officer who died last month in a car crash, did not have any drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his death.
The coroner found that Mejia died as a result of “multiple traumatic injuries,” including an abrasion to his upper extremities and right leg; contusion of the left side of his scalp; fractures to his cervical vertebrae; contusion of his lungs; and a dislocation of his left shoulder, according to the coroner’s report.
He also had hypertensive heart disease, which is attributed to high blood pressure and caused his heart muscle to thicken to about 620 centimeters, but showed no evidence of a heart attack, stroke or other medical emergency.
Coroner’s believe Mejia may have been driving in excess of 150mph—even higher than the original 100mph speed Mejia was thought to be traveling at—and it is unknown if a mechanical failure contributed to the accident, according to the report.
UPDATE: Chief McDonnell Releases Statement Regarding Officer Richard Mejia’s Death
September 18, 5:30PM | Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell released the following statement in regard to the death of Long Beach Police Officer Richard Mejia:
It is with deep sadness today that the Long Beach Police Department acknowledges the loss of one of our LBPD family. Officer Richard Mejia, a 15-year veteran, was involved in an off-duty fatal traffic collision last night on the 710 Freeway in Paramount.
Officer Mejia, who was 55-years-old, was assigned to the Department’s Port Police Division where he worked for nine years. During his career, he worked Patrol, and as a Field Training Officer and Hostage Negotiator.
Prior to being hired as a police officer, he was a Long Beach reserve officer for four years. Officer Mejia was a dedicated employee who took great pride in his work. He was good natured, well-liked by his peers, and will be greatly missed.
We extend our heartfelt sympathy and support to the Mejia family during this difficult time.
Officer Mejia is survived by his mother and siblings.
UPDATE: Off-Duty LBPD Officer Killed in Traffic Collision Identified
1:03PM | Mayor Robert Garcia took to Facebook to state that the off-duty LBPD officer who was killed in a traffic collision last night has been identified as Officer Rich Mejia.
Off-Duty LBPD Officer Dies in Traffic Collision Wednesday Night
An off-duty Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) officer was killed last night in a freeway crash after reportedly traveling at speeds of over 100MPH, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials said.
The CHP said it received a call at about 7:22PM in regard to a traffic collision on the northbound 710 (Long Beach) Freeway, north of Rosecrans Avenue. Upon arrival, officers determined there was a solo vehicle traffic collision and later identified the victim as a 55-year-old off-duty LBPD officer; his name has been withheld until next of kin have been notified.
According to the collision report, the officer was traveling in a red Corvette on the 710N before he lost control of his car for reasons unknown at this time. After losing control, the vehicle struck the center divider. The vehicle then traveled in a northeasterly direction across all lanes before heading off the roadway and across a dirt area adjacent to the freeway. The car overturned several times before coming to rest on its roof across both lanes of the northbound Rosecrans Avenue on ramp.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the scene, but the driver ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:30PM.
The investigation is ongoing and no other information is available at this time. We will update the story as we learn more.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call the CHP at 323-980-4600.