Off-Duty LAPD Officer and Passenger Killed in High-Speed Crash Caused by Red-Light Runner

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Off-Duty LAPD Officer and Passenger Killed in High-Speed Crash in Northridge

NORTHRIDGE – Tragedy struck early this morning as an off-duty Los Angeles police officer and his front-seat passenger lost their lives in a devastating two-vehicle crash in Northridge. The incident was reportedly caused by a vehicle running a red light at over 100 mph, according to authorities.

The officer has been identified as Chief Michel Moore, who delivered the heartbreaking news during a morning news conference held in front of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. As the community mourns this devastating loss, the LAPD has confirmed that the 20-year-old driver of the black BMW responsible for the collision has been arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter.

Chief Moore revealed that the driver of the BMW was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. Evidence gathered at the scene suggests that the BMW was traveling at an alarming speed of approximately 100 mph. Among the injured parties involved in the collision was a passenger in the back seat of Officer Cunningham’s white Infinity, who happened to be an off-duty San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy.

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene at 18101 W. Roscoe Blvd near the intersection with Lindley Avenue at around 1:19 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find three people trapped inside vehicles, one of which was lodged against a building, with a damaged fire hydrant nearby. Margaret Stewart, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, reported that the trapped victims were promptly extracted by fire crews and transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

Chief Moore provided further details on the collision, stating that Officer Cunningham was driving his white Infinity northbound on Lindley Avenue with two other occupants when the BMW, which failed to stop for the red light at the intersection, crashed into their vehicle. Tragically, both Officer Cunningham and his front-seat passenger were pronounced dead at the scene by LAFD paramedics. However, a woman who was inside the BMW managed to free herself from the wreckage, albeit suffering from serious injuries.

“The force and level of damage created by this horrific collision trapped all others involved,” expressed Chief Moore, emphasizing the severity of the crash. As the investigation continues, the 20-year-old driver of the BMW remains unconscious and in critical condition at the hospital. The off-duty San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy, whom Chief Moore visited personally, sustained a broken hip and other serious injuries but is expected to survive.

Officer Cunningham, who had served nearly five years with the Los Angeles Police Department, leaves behind a fiancée, a 3-year-old son, and a 6-year-old son. He was stationed at the department’s West Los Angeles station. Chief Moore took to social media to express his condolences, posting on X, “We mourn the loss of Officer Darrell Cunningham who was killed along with his friend by the senseless violence of a DUI driver. May God welcome him home. We will do everything possible to support his fiancée, 2 young boys, mom & 2 brothers.”

In a subsequent update, Chief Moore authorized the wearing of mourning bands in Officer Cunningham’s honor. The LAPD’s Multi-Disciplinary Collision Investigation Team is now handling the investigation.

As the Northridge community grapples with this tragic loss, it serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of reckless driving and the devastating consequences it can have on innocent lives..