A traffic collision which results in a fatality or in a serious injury which may become a fatality shall be handled, reported, and investigated only by a deputy who has successfully completed a Basic Traffic Collision Investigation Course which is approved by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). In the absence of a qualified patrol deputy from the station/unit complement, the station/unit traffic investigator shall handle, report, and investigate the traffic collision. If the station/unit traffic investigator is not available to respond to the scene, the station/unit shall employ a qualified deputy from another Sheriff's station/unit or contact Traffic Services Detail for an investigator.
The deputy handling the investigation shall:
- Immediately notify the traffic supervisor, watch commander, Homicide Bureau, and Traffic Services Detail;
- Protect the scene, ensuring that skid marks, collision debris, and vehicle parts are not moved or disturbed;
- Ensure that all vehicles involved in the collision remain at their points of rest unless emergency conditions require their removal. If a vehicle must be moved, the position of all tires and the direction of the vehicles shall be marked;
- Mark the final point of rest of all victims when circumstances require their removal prior to the completion of the investigation;
- Determine if the Vehicular Manslaughter section of the Penal Code has been violated;
- Identify and apprehend suspects;
- Identify witnesses and obtain statements.
The following information shall be included in the Traffic Collision Report:
- Hospital to which the victim was taken;
- The doctor pronouncing the victim dead;
- Time of death;
- Person notified in Homicide Bureau;
- Name of deputy coroner (to be provided by Homicide Bureau);
- Coroner's case number;
- Next-of-kin notification information;
- Disposition of the body.
Homicide Bureau personnel shall:
- Notify the Coroner's Office of the fatality;
- Notify deputies at the collision scene as to the coroner's instructions regarding disposition of the victim;
- Follow up to ensure next-of-kin notification.
The station/unit traffic supervisor shall:
- Supervise and assist deputies in the investigation of the collision;
- Provide the collision investigation equipment at the scene as outlined in the "Equipment" Section of this chapter;
- Ensure next-of-kin notification;
- Maintain liaison with Homicide Bureau when next-of-kin notification has not been made;
- Maintain liaison with the Coroner's Office when the victim's identity is unknown;
- Prepare supplemental reports as necessary;
- Forward a copy of all documentation available concerning the collision to Traffic Services Detail five days after the incident and upon filing or submission for review with the appropriate Deputy District Attorney’s Office;
- Immediately contact Traffic Services Detail when any persons injured in a collision pass away as a result of those injuries and provide all documentation available concerning the collision to Traffic Services Detail within five days after the death and upon filing or submission for review with the appropriate Deputy District Attorney’s Office.
The unit watch commander shall immediately notify the Traffic Collision Response Team in cases where a notification from the scene is not possible or practical.
This notification shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Location of the collision;
- Date and time of the collision;
- The name and employee number of the deputy responsible for the initial report;
- The name and employee number of the supervisor at the scene;
- Number, nature, and severity of all injuries suffered;
- Number of parties involved;
- A brief synopsis of the events