San Jose police release new details in on-duty death of Community Service Officer

SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose Police on Monday provided new details about a suspected drunk driving accident that killed a beloved Community Service Officer. The officer – called a CSO -- was providing traffic control for an unrelated accident when he was hit and killed Saturday night. A second CSO was also seriously injured. 

CSO Long Pham was killed in the incident and his partner, Veronica Baer, was seriously injured and remains in the hospital.   It happened just before 10pm on Saturday night in south San Jose at the intersection of Monterey Road and Palm Avenue.  "We are shocked, devastated and angry at the first line of duty death of a Community Service Officer and in our department’s history," said acting Police Chief Paul Joseph.

The suspected drunk driver – 44-year-old Juan Huerta-Palacios of Morgan Hill -- came barreling through their checkpoint.  "The adult male driver of a Dodge Charger came crashing through the flares and the cones and collided with the marked CSO vehicle. The impact thrust the CSO vehicle into both CSO’s critically injuring them,"Chief Joseph said.  

Neighbor Karina Perez lives right next to the intersection and heard the impact.   Perez says she, herself, was the victim of a drunk driver at this same intersection two years ago and speed is also a real problem here. "When I saw that situation I felt bad. And when I went to church yesterday, I remembered him. I just prayed for him yesterday," Perez said. 

Pham came to the United States from Vietnam when he was an infant and spent his entire life in San Jose attending Andrew Hill High School and Evergreen Valley College. "Long is a hero. I know that is likely little comfort in this time of tremendous grief. But Long’s life, his service, and his sacrifice will not be forgotten by our police department and our city," said Mayor Matt Mahan. 

Juan Huerta-Palacios has been initially charged with vehicular manslaughter and DUI.  A full memorial service is being planned in coordination with Pham’s family with details to be shared at a later time.