From the Pleasanton Police Department:
On Monday September 3, 2018 around 7:30 a.m. Norcal Ambulance was transporting a patient placed on a psychiatric detainer by the Pleasanton Police Department, to a John George Psychiatric Pavilion. As the ambulance approached the I-680/I-580 highway interchange they were forced pulled over due to an undetermined problem with the patient in the rear of the ambulance. The patient made their way out of the ambulance and ran into oncoming freeway traffic. Witnesses indicated the patient attempted to jump in front of three separate approaching vehicles. Two of those vehicles were able to avoid hitting the patient. The third vehicle was unable to avoid the patient as she jumped in front of his vehicle. The vehicle struck the patient in a traffic lane and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The California Highway Patrol responded and is conducting an independent investigation into the death of the patient on the freeway. Due to the patient’s medical condition, and notification of the next of kin, her name is being withheld.
Before this incident, at around 2:00 a.m. this individual was brought to the attention of Pleasanton Police Department, when we received several reports of a reckless driver who struck multiple vehicles and a pedestrian in the area of 5300 Case Avenue. Officers arrived and located the vehicle and driver standing next to it. The driver, upon seeing the officers, quickly got into her vehicle. To prevent further property damage and to reduce the likelihood of further injury, officers ordered the subject out of vehicle, but she refused. Officers then attempted to detain the subject and she physically resisted their efforts to remove her from the vehicle. Using a control hold, the officers were able to remove the subject from the vehicle. However, as the officers were detaining the subject, she began struggling with the officers and made several attempts to grab one of the officer’s firearms. In response, two officers applied their Electronic Control Device (Taser) to gain compliance. They were able to safely detain the subject and placed her on a psychiatric detainer. She was transported to Stanford Valley Care Hospital for routine medical clearance and at approximately 7:00 a.m. a Norcal Ambulance responded to Stanford Valley Care Hospital to transport the patient to John George Psychiatric Pavilion.
This incident is being investigated by the Pleasanton Police Department, the California Highway Patrol and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Coroner Bureau.
Anyone who witnessed these incidents or has any information related to these incidents is encouraged to contact Lieutenant Stocking at (925) 931-5100. Please reference case #18-34368.
Tragic. She was someone’s child. Difficult situation, but it does seem that perhaps the agencies involved should review procedures for dealing with people in profound distress. Perhaps this was an edge case that could not have been avoided. Hard to say. Bummer in any case.
The police never have (and never will) be trained to handle the mentally ill effectively. You have to have a calming affect to be effective, and the police take a very aggressive approach. They have to. They deal with the criminal element. They’re not in a compassionate business. The only profession who can deal with the mentally ill properly would be the medical profession. Sadly, this will continue.