Officer Lauren Craven, age 25,
Officer Lauren Craven Remembered for Heroic Actions in Fatal I-8 Crash
Late on October 20, 2025, Officer Lauren Craven, 25, of the La Mesa Police Department,
was struck and killed while helping at a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 8 near Fairmount Avenue in San Diego County.
The incident began when two vehicles collided, one overturning.
A third car struck the overturned vehicle, killing a 19-year-old driver.
Returning from duty, Officer Craven stopped to assist even though she hadn’t been dispatched.
While aiding victims, another car hit the crash scene, fatally injuring her and the young driver.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the collisions and whether impairment or speed were factors.
Described by colleagues as “selfless and heroic,”
Craven joined the department in February 2024 and
was inspired to serve after surviving an assault in college.
Governor Gavin Newsom ordered flags flown at half-staff,
as the community mourns her bravery and renews calls to follow the Move Over Law.
