A Riverside County sheriff’s deputy accused of killing a 21-year-old motorist in a wreck caused by the lawman’s decision to drive at exceedingly high speed through a Calimesa intersection was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter, among other charges, authorities said Thursday.
Glenn Allen Wilburn, 42, allegedly caused the death of Gavin C. Hinkley last September.
On Wednesday, the District Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint against Wilburn, alleging the manslaughter offense, as well as reckless operation of a motor vehicle and a sentence-enhancing allegation of inflicting great bodily injury leading to a comatose condition.
An arraignment date has not yet been set for the deputy, who is free on a $40,000 bond.
He is on paid administrative leave from the sheriff’s department.
According to prosecutors, on the morning of Sept. 6, the defendant was dispatched to a “shots fired” call in Calimesa as he was traveling through nearby Beaumont.
The D.A.’s office said in a statement that Wilburn activated his patrol unit’s “lights and siren” and proceeded to accelerate to 100 mph on municipal streets, heading in the direction of the location where the shots had been reported.
The defendant entered the intersection of Cherry Valley Boulevard and Roberts Street at roughly 70 mph, plowing through a red light and slamming into the driver’s side of Hinkley’s Tesla, according to the California Highway Patrol, which was tasked with handling the investigation.
The impact killed Hinkley instantly. His fiancee, Madeline Fox, who was in the passenger seat of the sedan, suffered massive head trauma. She was hospitalized in a coma for weeks.
Wilburn suffered minor injuries.
The CHP ultimately determined that he allegedly had been driving without regard for the public’s safety.
“Moments before the collision, sheriff’s dispatch had confirmed there were no reported injuries (at the shots fired call), the suspect vehicle had left the scene and other deputies had already arrived at the location,” according to the D.A.’s office.
Hinkley’s family last month filed a civil suit against the county, the sheriff’s department, Wilburn and others, alleging negligence, wrongful death and dangerous use of public property — a patrol unit — resulting in death and injuries.
The case is pending adjudication.
Wilburn’s total time with the department and his previous assignments were unavailable.