On August 3, a silver 2022 Dodge Charger, operated by 44-year-old Juan Huerta-Palacios, rammed into a parked police vehicle at Monterey Road and Palm Avenue. The impact was so severe that it propelled the patrol car into the two officers, according to Hoodline. Acting Chief of Police Paul Joseph highlighted the department's emotional turmoil. He extended his support to the bereaved family and colleagues, expressing, "Our entire Police family is heartbroken by this line of duty loss, and our collective arms are around his family, friends, and teammates during this unimaginable time."
Huerta-Palacios, who remained at the scene, now faces charges of gross vehicular manslaughter and felony DUI. Despite a previous conviction for alcohol-related reckless driving, he was released on bail, a decision that has sparked an outcry from both law enforcement and local government officials. The San Jose Police Department criticized the suspect's release through a statement on social media, where the Chief questioned the efficacy of the bail system in safeguarding the public from what he referred to as "bad judgement." "An officer is dead and the man who killed him was let out on bail to go home against our objection, against our community’s objection," was a sentiment echoed in the San Jose Police Department's post.
Statements regarding recent decision in CSO Long Pham’s case.
— San Jose Police Dept (@SanJosePD) December 12, 2024
“The defendant who killed Community Service Officer Long Pham and seriously injured Community Service Officer Veronica Baer is facing a murder charge for his actions. That murder charge is based upon a previous… pic.twitter.com/d6EuBrMhlv
Moreover, Mayor Matt Mahan, voicing his opposition to the court's decision, underlined the community's expectation of justice. In his statement, he said, as cited by the San Jose Police Department, "Both CSO Pham's family and our entire community deserve better - they deserve justice." The mayor's words, honoring Pham's service and recognizing the inherent risks officers take daily, reflect the sorrow and frustration felt throughout the city. "Each day, our officers place themselves in harm's way to fulfill their solemn oath to protect and serve us — they are truly heroes," Mahan told, as per Hoodline.
