Latest News 2014 May DUI Driver with Criminal History Injures LAPD Officer, Community Rallies Support

DUI Driver with Criminal History Injures LAPD Officer, Community Rallies Support

While an LAPD officer lies bedridden in a hospital, languishing in a coma after being struck down in a car crash, the woman that is charged with causing his injuries while DUI has pleaded not guilty and the community has come to his aid, as reported by the Daily News.

On April 8 Q.C., 33, pleaded not guilty to one count of driving under the influence of drugs while causing injury and one count of possession of cocaine, a controlled substance.

The complaint filed on April 7 in Los Angeles County Superior Court states that the injured policeman, LAPD Officer C.C., has "become comatose due to brain injury and to suffer paralysis."

Officer C.C. has been with LAPD for 26 years. He was working in the Valley Traffic Division prior to his injury. According to Lt. D. F., also with Valley Traffic, C.C. is being cared for at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center. As of April 8 he was still listed as critical.

Q.C.'s bail has been set at $150,000 by L.A. Superior Court Commissioner Mitchell Block. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, if convicted Q.C. faces over a 10-year prison sentence.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, Officer C.C. was riding his police motorcycle southbound on Lankershim Boulevard when he stopped to obey a red light. However, coming up behind C.C. was a Chevy Blazer that failed to adhere to the red light. The Chevy crashed into the back of the motorcycle. The force of the impact caused C.C. to become crushed between to other, larger, vehicles.

C.C. was arrested at the scene on suspicion of DUI. She was booked at the Van Nuys Jail. It was later learned that her license had expired in 2005, and she has a lengthy criminal record beginning in the late 1990s.

Court records show that C.C.'s criminal convictions include felonies such as a 1999 grand theft, a 2008 petty theft and a 2012 possession of a controlled substance. Other, lesser offenses, include soliciting prostitution and driving with a suspended license. Just as recently as December of 2013 C.C. was convicted of loitering with intent to commit prostitution. In that case she was given a 60-day jail sentence and ordered to serve three years of summary probation.

Over 100 members of the local community donated blood in honor of C.C. on April 7 at Providence, and over 100 more gave blood at the Mission Area Community Police Station.

Sandy Hibarger, the blood recruiter commented, "I think (the accident) really pulled a lot of people's heartstrings. I was really impressed…I noticed a real sense of humanity."

Other donors included C.S., a travel agent from Granada Hills that had to come back a second time as the wait was six hours long. C.S. said, "I was deeply saddened and angered by how it happened…"

If you have been charged with driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, contact a DUI attorney for help. In this case the woman charged has a tough fight, because she injured a police officer and has a criminal record. Whatever your case may be, start working with a lawyer today!

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