A veteran Pomona police sergeant was arrested after allegedly causing a hit-and-run crash while driving under the influence in Chino, injuring the occupants of two other vehicles before crashing his own truck into a tree. Richard Aguiar, 50, has not returned to work since the collision, which happened in July near the border of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
According to CBS News, the crash unfolded around 8:20 p.m. on July 26 near Schaefer Avenue and Monte Vista Avenue in Chino. Aguiar, driving a Chevrolet Silverado, rear-ended a vehicle stopped at the intersection, then fled the scene at a high rate of speed, heading south on Monte Vista Avenue. He then sideswiped a Ford Fusion, which collided with a tree, before Aguiar struck a fire hydrant and several other objects and ultimately crashed into a tree himself.
Officers arriving at the scene found Aguiar unconscious inside his truck. He sustained significant injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, the outlet reports. Occupants of the other vehicles involved were also injured in the collision but declined medical transport to the hospital.
Alcohol Flagged as Possible Factor
Chino Police Department traffic investigators took over the case, and according to a Chino PD release cited by the station, alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the crash. Aguiar was off duty at the time. Investigators have since submitted the case to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office for review, and he could face charges of hit-and-run with injury and DUI with injury.
Because the crash site sits in San Bernardino County just across the line from Pomona in Los Angeles County, the criminal case is being handled by Chino police and San Bernardino County prosecutors rather than Aguiar's own department, the station notes. Under California Vehicle Code Section 20001, leaving the scene of a crash that causes bodily injury is a wobbler offense that can be charged as a felony carrying up to four years in state prison and fines between $1,000 and $10,000, according to the Kraut Law Group. Separately, driving under the influence and causing bodily injury under Vehicle Code Section 23153 can be prosecuted as a felony punishable by up to four years in state prison, a license suspension of up to five years, and mandatory victim restitution, per the KN Law Firm.
A Decade in Pomona's Gang Unit
Aguiar's record with the Pomona Police Department stretches back years. California Court of Appeal records cited by CaseMine show he previously worked as a K-9 officer and spent more than a decade assigned to the department's gang unit, handling major local cases. Public salary records published by Transparent California list Aguiar's 2025 base salary at $157,550, with total compensation of $343,925.
Aguiar also has a notable history involving the use of deadly force. In January 2018, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office cleared then-Corporal Aguiar of criminal wrongdoing in a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred in Pomona in January 2017, finding that he acted in lawful self-defense after a suspect fired at officers.
Internal Investigation and Possible Decertification
The Pomona Police Department's Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating the Chino crash as a personal matter, though the department said it does not comment on personnel matters involving city employees, the station reports. Aguiar has not returned to work since the crash, per the same account.
If convicted, Aguiar could also face consequences beyond the courtroom. Under California Senate Bill 2, which expanded the authority of the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, officers convicted of serious crimes or off-duty misconduct can face suspension or permanent revocation of their law enforcement certification, according to Legal Updates.
A Regional Push Against Impaired Driving
The case centers on a crash in San Bernardino County where alcohol may have been a contributing factor.
The case remains under review, with prosecutors yet to decide whether to file felony or misdemeanor charges against Aguiar. A crash report showed Aguiar's blood alcohol level was .299%, while the status of Pomona PD's internal review remains unresolved as the case moves through the review process.
