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Despite serious crash, officer defends police chases
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More from Other NewsSimi Valley Police Officer John Hoffart crashed into a parked van while following a suspected car thief.
The accident in December 2003 cost the officer his spleen and
eventually his career. But it wasn't counted as a police pursuit
because technically, Hoffart was just catching up, not chasing.
"If he doesn't have a light on, it's not a pursuit," said Simi
Valley Police Department spokeswoman Stephanie Shannon, saying a chase
begins when an officer activates his flashing lights and siren and
radios in an incident as a pursuit.
The suspected thief got away, and Hoffart was the only person
injured. He punctured his lungs, injured his spleen, suffered brain
trauma and had fractures in his back, pelvis and ribs. After a recovery
that included three months of hospitalization, he returned to the
Police Department but later agreed to retire. Now 34, he's planning a
move to Idaho and trying to start a career as an Internet network
security analyst.
Estimating that he was driving about 40 mph on a curving road in a
light rain, Hoffart said the only thing he'd do differently is drive
more cautiously. He defends an officer's right to pursue a fleeing
suspect and argues that restricting chases sets a scary precedent.
"If criminals know the cops aren't going to run after them, it's
going to be a bad thing because they're going to run more and more," he
said.
-- Staff writer Tom Kisken
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