EspañolLAPD Patrol Vehicle Involved in Exposition Park Car Accident With Passenger Vehicle by West Exposition Boulevard and Western Avenue
EXPOSITION PARK, LOS ANGELES (September 20, 2026) – Two people were hospitalized after a car accident involving a LAPD patrol vehicle in Exposition Park near the intersection of W. Exposition Blvd. and Western Avenue.
Los Angeles Police Department officials said that the collision occurred around 3:40 PM on Saturday afternoon. For undetermined reasons, an LAPD vehicle was involved in a collision with a black passenger sedan.
First responders were called to the scene of the crash to help all of the victims. In total, three people were reportedly injured in the crash.
Two of those people were transported to nearby hospitals to receive treatment. A full investigation into the collision remains ongoing at this time.
Liability for Los Angeles Police Department Collisions
California law provides that public entities can be held liable for the negligent actions of their employees who are working within the course and scope of their job duties under California Vehicle Code § 17001. Authorized emergency vehicles receive a number of exemptions from ordinary traffic regulations in the midst of an actual emergency. However, when their drivers are not in the midst of an emergency, they must obey traffic regulations as would any other driver. This requires police officers to maintain a reasonable speed and obey traffic regulations to avoid collisions. Courts will take into consideration numerous factors when evaluating liability for any accident involving a police vehicle.
- Emergency Response: It matters whether or not the police vehicle was involved in an emergency response.
- Lights and Sirens: Even if they were in an emergency response, it still matters whether or not that vehicle had its lights and sirens activated.
- Speed: The speed of the vehicles involved must also be taken into consideration. It is important to determine whether or not their speed was reasonable given the traffic, visibility, and other conditions.
- Lookout: It matters whether or not a police officer maintained a proper lookout and checked their blind spots before making any turn and interception.
When a police officer fails to exercise due care and collides with another vehicle, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. Consider, for example, Monroy v. City of Los Angeles, 164 Cal. App. 4th 248 (Cal. Ct. App. 2008). That case involved LAPD officers that were responding to a request for backup, which was categorized as a non-emergency response. The officers were speeding before colliding with another vehicle. Attorneys for the plaintiff argued that the officers were negligent for speeding due to the non-emergency nature of the call that they were responding to.
What to Do After an Accident With an LAPD Vehicle
Many people are seriously injured or killed each year in accidents involving police officers and other emergency vehicles. According to the National Safety Council, “In 2024, 225 people died in crashes involving emergency vehicles. More than half of these deaths were occupants of non-emergency vehicles (56%). Deaths among pedestrians accounted for 24% of the total, while emergency vehicle drivers represented 9%, and emergency vehicle passengers accounted for about 8% of the deaths.” Several steps should be taken after any accident involving a police vehicle.
- Victims should seek medical treatment as early as possible. Many injuries associated with a crash may not be immediately obvious.
- The dash camera footage from the officer involved should be collected and preserved.
- Any person that may have witnessed the collision should be interviewed as early as possible.
- All of the training, materials and department policies related to non-emergency response protocols should be reviewed.
- Victims should carefully consider their legal options with a team experienced in negligence claims.
Accidents involving police vehicles are often highly preventable. They tend to involve situations where police officers are violating traffic regulations, even during non-emergency responses. Unfortunately, police departments are not likely to accept responsibility if one of their officers causes a serious injury collision. It is important for the victims of these incidents to understand that they do have legal rights. They’re able to seek some measure of accountability through a personal injury claim.
Getting Legal Help After LAPD Car Accidents
We at the Carrillo Law Firm extend our best wishes to the people who were injured in this Exposition Park LAPD patrol vehicle accident. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. Many important safety questions have yet to be addressed. What was the speed of the LAPD vehicle involved in the crash? Is there a history of other collisions at this intersection?
Have you or a loved one been injured due to the negligent actions of the Los Angeles Police Department? You may be entitled to significant financial compensation. Our team of experienced personal injury attorneys is here to support you. We care deeply that victims get the medical and financial support that they need to recover and move forward. Whether you just have legal questions or are wondering how an attorney might be able to help with your unique situation, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
