A 25-year-old La Mesa police officer killed when she stopped to assist a motorist in a crash on Interstate 8 late Monday night was remembered as “a light,” by her police chief.
Officer Lauren Craven, 25, was struck and killed by a passing car on eastbound I-8 near Grantville. The motorist she was helping also died.
The investigation into the fatal crash led California Highway Patrol officers to shut down a stretch of the freeway for around 14 hours, reopening lanes early Tuesday afternoon.
Craven, who was assigned to the patrol division, had been on the La Mesa force 20 months after graduating in 2023 from Loyola Marymount University with a bachelor’s degree in international studies. She is the first La Mesa police officer killed in the line of duty.
“Lauren was a light,” La Mesa Police Chief Ray Sweeney told reporters at news conference Tuesday. “Her positivity was immediate and genuine, whether helping a colleague, answering a stranger’s question, or stepping into a difficult case she was working on.
“She led with compassion, courage and professionalism.”
Sweeney shared a piece of writing that Craven, who joined the force in February 2024, had written last year during the hiring process. “It has always been a passion of mine to serve others and there has never been a doubt in my mind that being in law enforcement is what I was meant to do,” Craven wrote.
According to the CHP, the incident unfolded shortly after 10:20 p.m. when a driver on eastbound I-8 lost control and overturned on the highway near Fairmount. That vehicle was hit by another car.
Craven came upon the crash and stopped to help the motorists. While she was taking the report of the initial accident, another car driving eastbound on I-8 struck the officer, CHP officials said.
Authorities on Tuesday investigate the crash on Interstate 8 in Grantville that killed La Mesa police officer Lauren Craven and a second person. Nelvin C. Cepeda / U-T
Police officials said CHP officers performed lifesaving efforts on Craven but she died before she could be taken to a hospital. The driver involved in the initial rollover crash was also killed in the incident.
CHP did not provide any further details about the crash, including what happened with the driver who struck the two victims.
The investigation led officials to close the eastbound lanes of the busy freeway overnight. Traffic was diverted to Interstate 15 or surface streets until it reopened just before 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Traffic on eastbound Interstate 8 through Grantville remained backed up Tuesday morning after CHP closed the freeway to investigate the crash. Nelvin C. Cepeda / U-T
People who heard about the officer’s death brought flowers to police headquarters The department also issued a statement thanking allied agencies “for their unwavering support.
“We ask that the La Mesa community keep Officer Craven, her family, and the La Mesa Police Department in their thoughts and prayers,” the police department said.
People left flowers at La Mesa Police Department on Tuesday at the base of a memorial for fallen officers. La Mesa officer Lauren Craven, 25, was struck and killed while on duty Monday night. Hannah Elsmore/U-T
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statement noting that flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space will be flown at half-staff in her honor.
“Officer Craven served her community with pride and dedication,” Newsom said. “Jennifer and I are heartbroken by her loss and the significant impact her passing leaves on the larger San Diego community. We join her family, friends, and fellow officers in mourning. May her memory never be forgotten.”
Sweeney said Craven is survived by her parents, her sister and a partner.
Traffic crashes have claimed the lives of other officers in the region in recent years. most recently in August 2024. San Diego Police Officer Austin Machitar, 30, died when a teenage suspect fleeing from another officer in Clairemont slammed into the patrol vehicle Machitar was driving. The teen also died, and a fellow officer in the patrol vehicle with Machitar was badly injured.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Originally Published: October 21, 2025 at 7:58 AM PDT