LAPD Chief Charlie Beck tweeted on Monday morning that Richard Medina was released from the hospital and was surrounded by his wife and friends as he recovers.
The violent collision happened near Anaheim Street and President Avenue at 3:45 a.m. Saturday. Roberto Sanchez and Medina were chasing a speeding white Camaro when both vehicles made U-turns. The LAPD patrol car was struck on the driver's side by a Chevrolet Tahoe, which was traveling eastbound on Anaheim Street.
Both officers had to be extricated from the wreckage. They were rushed to an area hospital, where Sanchez later died.
The occupants of the Chevrolet Tahoe immediately ran from the scene. While two people have been detained, no one has been arrested yet. The Camaro driver has also not been located.
Sanchez was a six-year veteran of the LAPD. He is survived by his wife and parents.
This was the third deadly accident involving the LAPD in recent months. Nick Lee was killed on-duty when a truck slammed into his cruiser in Beverly Hills on March 7. Then on April 5, Chris Cortijo was killed on-duty when he was rear-ended by an alleged drunk driver as he sat on his motorcycle at a stop light in Sun Valley.
Beck commented on the latest LAPD death on Monday in Glassell Park, where the LAPD broke ground on a new station.
"It's difficult, but pain doesn't really compound. It just numbs. I know that many people right now are walking around feeling a sense of numbness inside because you run out of tears after a while," Beck said.
