The lives of a young couple just weeks away from their wedding were shattered when an on-duty California sheriff’s deputy sped through a red light and slammed into their car as they ran errands, a lawsuit alleges.
Nine months later, the deputy involved has been charged in connection with the September crash in Beaumont that killed 21-year-old Gavin Hinkley and left his fiancée, 20-year-old Madeline Fox, with severe life altering injuries.
The charges come after investigators found the deputy was responding to a shots-fired call even though, moments before the collision, dispatchers appeared to have confirmed deputies were already at the scene, the suspect vehicle had left and no injuries had been reported.
Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Glynn Wilburn, 42, has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and felony reckless driving causing serious injury, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release on Thursday. Prosecutors are also seeking a more serious punishment due to the extent of injuries the victims suffered.
Wilburn has been placed on administrative leave, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to CNN. A spokesperson for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office said Friday a warrant had been issued for his arrest.
