Arrest made in crash that killed CHP officer last week
Kirk Griess of the California Highway Patrol's Solano office was killed on his motorcycle while on duty last Friday. CHP is expected to announce an arrest in the crash on Wednesday.
CORDELIA, Calif. (KTVU/BCN) - The California Highway Patrol and the Solano County District Attorney's Office announced the arrest and charging of the Chevrolet pickup truck driver who crashed into CHP Officer Kirk Griess' motorcycle and a Saturn SUV on westbound Interstate Highway 80 in Fairfield on Friday.
At a Wednesday news conference at the CHP Cordelia Vehicle Enforcement Facility, CHP Capt. Mark Headrick announced the arrest of 36-year-old Sean Matthew Walker of Rocklin.
Walker is currently in CHP custody and is charged with two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and one of reckless driving causing fatal injury. CHP said there is evidence Walker was distracted while driving by his phone.
Griess, 46, a 19-year CHP veteran, and the Saturn driver, Jaime Manuel, 49, of Vallejo, died in the crash, which occurred around 9 a.m. Friday on the right shoulder of Highway 80 near Manuel Campos Parkway after Griess had pulled over Manuel.
Griess leaves a wife and three children. Manuel is survived by a wife and daughter in the Philippines.
Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams also spoke at the news conference. Abrams said Walker was driving in excess of the speed limit.
He is expected to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. It's unclear whether he has an attorney.