LOS ANGELES
An off-duty deputy from the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) has been charged with attempting to cover up a patrol vehicle crash of a fellow off-duty SEB deputy.
The off-duty deputy, Carlos Lopez, was allegedly driving under the influence and was separately charged with that crime earlier this year.
“Ensuring law enforcement accountability is essential to maintaining public trust,” District Attorney George Gascón said. “A law enforcement officer obstructing an investigation into unlawful conduct by another deputy undermines the integrity of the justice system.”
Adding, “We will hold accountable both the officer who committed misconduct and those who participated in covering it up. No one is above the law, especially not those that are sworn to uphold it.”
Deputy Gregory Davis, 55, faces one felony count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, one misdemeanor count of giving false information to a peace officer and three misdemeanor counts of delaying and/or obstructing an investigation.
Davis is expected to surrender on September 27 in Dept. 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
On Aug. 26, 2022, an off-duty sheriff’s deputy crashed his marked SUV while allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
The crash occurred in Stevenson Ranch, in the Santa Clarita Valley of Los Angeles County. Davis arrived, allegedly pulled his fellow deputy’s limp body out of the crashed SUV, and placed him in the vehicle of his fellow deputy’s wife, who drove him home.
Prosecutors say Davis attempted to move the deputy’s SUV before a retired LAPD officer passing by called authorities. Davis initially did not identify himself as an off-duty deputy.
Davis works for a specialized unit that includes the department’s High-Risk Tactical/Rescue Teams.
The Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division are investigating the case.