A minor fender bender cost a beloved and long-serving deputy his life.
Approximately 6 million car crashes are reported to the police each year. Most of them are relatively minor. Deputy Larry Falce was involved in one such accident, a minor fender bender, on New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, officer Falce lost his life after the incident when he was brutally attacked by the other party.
The two appeared to have been having a heated exchange when the suspect threw a single sucker punch, hitting Falce in the face.
Falce was off-duty and driving his personal truck when several loose dogs ran into the street. Thinking quickly, Falce swerved and slowed down to avoid the dogs. At this point, he was rear-ended by suspect Alonzo Leron Smith, who was driving a Ford Explorer.
Video of the incident shows Falce and the suspect pulling over to the side of the road after the accident. The two appeared to have been having a heated exchange when the suspect threw a single sucker punch, hitting Falce in the face. At this point, Falce collapsed to the ground and the suspect fled in his vehicle.
Falce was knocked unconscious during the attack. Tragically, he never regained consciousness and was taken off of life support. At approximately 8 PM this past Tuesday, Falce passed away.
A good Samaritan apparently tried to stop the suspect from fleeing, but he was able to do so. Good Samaritans were able to provide police with a license plate number, description of the perpetrator, and description of the vehicle.
Police later arrested suspect Alonzo Leron Smith, a convicted felon. Smith was at his girlfriend’s house at the time of the arrest. Smith’s brother was also arrested as his name was associated with the vehicle and he matched the description. However, police believe that it was actually Alonzo who committed the crime.
Smith is a convicted felon and has been described by authorities as a gang member.
Officer Falce served as a deputy for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. At 70 years old, Falce was the oldest member in his department. He had worked for the department for 36 years, having joined in 1981. Before that, Falce served in the army and was a veteran of the Vietnam War.
Smith is a convicted felon and has been described by authorities as a gang member. In 2012, Smith was convicted of engaging in “street terrorism with use of a gun.” This should have kept Smith behind bars for 12 years. However, Smith’s conviction was overturned on appeal because he committed the crime alone, but the charges required that he be committing the act in the presence of another gang member.
District attorneys have stated that they will seek to keep Smith behind bars for the rest of his life.
Smith has been arraigned and has pleaded not guilty. Besides the street terrorism charge, Smith has spent time in state prison and has faced a myriad of charges, including extortion, criminal street gang participation, robbery, and selling marijuana.
District attorneys have stated that they will seek to keep Smith behind bars for the rest of his life. Owing to the officer’s death and previous felony convictions, Smith is almost certain to face a lengthy jail sentence if found guilty.
