A Navy police officer, 38-year-old Antonio Alcantar, was arraigned Thursday on murder charges in the death of La Mesa Police Officer Lauren Craven, 25, who was struck and killed while responding to a crash scene earlier this month.
Authorities say the tragic incident unfolded when Officer Craven, who had moved two crash victims out of harm’s way, returned to assist 19-year-old DeVeonte Morris, whose vehicle had overturned. As she tried to render aid, Alcantar — allegedly intoxicated — slammed into the crash site, killing Craven instantly.
“He consumed alcohol until his blood alcohol content was at .16, over an hour after the time of driving,” said Deputy District Attorney Spencer Sharpe, underscoring the severity of Alcantar’s intoxication level.
Prosecutors argue that Alcantar’s military police training elevates the case from manslaughter to murder, given his professional awareness of the life-threatening risks of drunk driving.
“He is military police. He has gone through, in just a precursory look at his military records, specific training and had specific duties that made him uniquely aware of the danger to human life that drinking and driving posed,” Sharpe told the court.
Defense attorney Dan Greene pushed back, urging the public not to rush to judgment.
“He’s not a risk to the community, he’s certainly not a risk of flight — that’s the person he’s always been and that’s the person he continues to be,” Greene said, citing Alcantar’s service record and clean criminal history as mitigating factors.
Alcantar, who was arrested at the scene, is being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to return to court on December 3.
Officer Craven, described by colleagues as a dedicated public servant, had been with the La Mesa Police Department for just over a year. She was remembered for her “courage and compassion” in the line of duty — qualities that were on full display during the moments that led to her death.
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