Other Stuff
Sunbather run over by police vehicle on US beach
14 June 2006
LOS ANGELES: A woman sunbathing on a southern California beach was accidentally
run over and killed by a police vehicle on routine beach patrol, police said on
Tuesday.
Cindy Conolly, 49, who was visiting Oxnard, about 80km north-west of Los
Angeles, from Iowa for the wedding of her son, was sunbathing alone on Monday on
the beach near her hotel just below a 70cm high ridge of sand.
Police said that two officers in a sports utility vehicle stopped on top of the
ridge to observe a swimmer who seemed to be in distress. When they pulled
forward they ran over Conolly without realising it and drove off.
Another woman on the beach, who witnessed the accident, called emergency
services.
Conolly died instantly from head injuries.
"She was below them and they just did not see her, nor did they feel any
disruption as they continued on their patrol, " said Oxnard Police Chief John
Crombach, calling the death a "tragic accident".
Crombach said the officers involved, who have been put on paid leave while the
incident is investigated, were "absolutely devastated".
Police and lifeguards regularly cruise the wide sand beaches of southern
California looking for swimmers in distress and for illegal campers or drug and
alcohol use.