Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announced Wednesday that a Coroner’s jury has reached a finding in the September 18, 2015 death of Rafael Gonzalez Jr. The finding of the jury is that the death was an accident.
Gonzalez, a solo motorcycle rider, struck a motor vehicle. The motorcycle that Gonzalez was riding was briefly pursued by the Pittsburg Police Department, but that pursuit had been terminated prior to the collision. Mr. Gonzalez was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Coroner’s jury reached a verdict after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by the hearing officer, Matt Guichard.
A Coroner’s inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving peace officers, is a public hearing, during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding:
- Accident
- Suicide
- Natural Causes
- At the hands of another person, other than by accident.
Information from September
Pittsburg police Capt. Ron Raman explained that shortly before the crash, a 20-year-veteran-officer was monitoring traffic on Pittsburg/Antioch Highway near Arcy Lane. The officer observed a motorcyclist traveling E/B on Pittsburg/Antioch Highway at a high rate of speed.
He attempted to stop the motorcyclist for his reckless driving; however the driver fled from him.
According to Raman, the motorcyclist increased his speed as it fled southbound onto Auto Center Drive, our officer terminated his pursuit due to speeds and the reckless driving. He was never close enough to obtain a license plate on the motorcycle.
The motorcyclist collided with another vehicle near Highway 4 and Auto Center Drive, more than a half-mile from where the Pittsburg police officer terminated his pursuit of the motorcyclist.
The motorcyclist was declared deceased on scene.
Captain Raman stated the occupants in the car he collided with were injured but are expected to survive, they have been transported to a local hospital.
The incident caused Auto Center and Highway 4 to be closed to traffic for several hours.
