A Navy police officer is charged with murder in the death of La Mesa police officer Lauren Craven, who was killed last week in a wreck on Interstate 8.

Prosecutors in a downtown San Diego courtroom on Thursday alleged 38-year-old Antonio Alcantar was under the influence when he struck Craven on the freeway last week.

Craven was killed that night, along with the driver of a car she stopped to help: 19-year-old De’ Veonte Morris.

At this point, Alcantar only faces charges in connection to Craven’s death, since the investigation into Morris’s death is still underway.

District Attorney Spencer Sharpe told the court on Thursday, where there was a large law enforecement presence, how Craven stopped to help Morris after he collided with another car. Sharpe said Craven saw the occupants from the other vehicle in the roadway and went and moved them to the median.

As Craven returned to Morris, who was also in the roadway, Alcantar was approaching in his car at freeway speed.

Sharpe said Alcantar had been drinking at a Normal Heights bar, then walked to his friend’s home before ultimately getting behind the wheel.

In court, it was reported that Craven’s body camera and a camera from a Tesla behind Alcantar’s vehicle recorded video showing Craven’s overhead lights on and motorists clearing out of the way of the accident. Sharpe said that Alcantar only hit the brakes after his car struck Craven.

Alcantar’s defense attorney, Dan Greene, told NBC7 that his client takes ownership of his intoxication but that what happend was an accident.

“This is not a person who would ever go out and intentionally harm somebody,” Greene said. “This is not a person that went out and targeted police officers or thought that he was gonna hurt a police officer or anyone.”

Alcantar, who was out on bail, was ultimately taken into custody. The judge ordered a $5 million bail.

“We have a military police officer, master-at-arms now, who is charged with murder,” Sharpe said. “In 2025, there is no excuse for drinking and driving like this.”

Alcantar faces one count of murder, which can carry a sentence of life in prison, as well as one count of gross vehicular manslaughter with bodily harm.

Alcantar is due back in court in December.