An Escondido police officer has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge tied to the death of a man struck while riding an electric bicycle during a police pursuit, moving the high-profile case deeper into the criminal system. The charge stems from an August 2025 collision that killed 39-year-old Jacob Illian.
Officer Ingco entered his not-guilty plea Thursday in a North County courtroom and faces a single misdemeanor count of gross vehicular homicide, according to the Times of San Diego. The San Diego County District Attorney filed the charge on May 7, and the criminal complaint obtained by the outlet alleges the Aug. 21, 2025 collision was the proximate result of actions taken while he was driving a patrol vehicle. The complaint lists a maximum penalty of one year in custody, and the officer’s preliminary trial is scheduled for September.
Crash on a designated bike path
The deadly collision happened Aug. 21, 2025 on a designated bike path near Valley Parkway and Rose Street after an Escondido officer tried to stop Illian, who was riding an electric bicycle, as reported by ABC10. Illian did not yield, leading to a pursuit. Because an Escondido police vehicle was involved in the crash, Oceanside police took over the investigation, according to the ABC10/City News Service account.
Family reaction and legal teams
Illian’s family is represented by attorney Mark Fleming and the civil-rights firm McKenzie Scott, whose lawyers said they are gratified prosecutors chose to file charges and argued the crash was foreseeable, according to the Times of San Diego. “This family lost a husband, a father, and a son,” the attorneys told the outlet. The family’s civil and criminal legal teams say they intend to see the case through.
What’s next
Pretrial proceedings and discovery are expected to unfold over the summer, as lawyers on both sides prepare arguments over whether the pursuit and the officer’s driving meet the standard alleged in the criminal complaint. Hoodline will track new filings and court dates as the case moves toward its preliminary hearing in September.
