A 25-year-old La Mesa police officer was struck and killed on Interstate 8 Monday night while out of her patrol car to provide aid to others involved in a deadly crash.
LMPD officer Lauren Craven was remembered by her department Tuesday as a "courageous, young officer" with a passion for helping others. The way she died -- selflessly -- they said, is a reflection of who she was in life.
California Highway Patrol, which is leading the investigation into the chain-reaction crash that also left another driver dead, said Craven was on duty, driving on eastbound I-8 when she saw a rollover crash involving two vehicles. She radioed for help, got out of her patrol vehicle and began aiding the individuals involved.
"Officer Craven's actions in her final moments exemplified her unwavering dedication to service and the safety of others -- a reflection of how she lived every day. Officer Craven was known for her tenacity, courage, and compassion -- qualities that inspired her peers and strengthened her community," the department said.
Watch the full news conference from La Mesa Police honoring fallen officer Lauren Craven
Craven's father, David, grieved for the loss of a daughter he called his best friend and shared stories Wednesday of her bravery and passion for helping others.
He told NBC 7 from Oregon that becoming an officer didn't come easily for Craven. She went through the police academy twice but was determined, because she knew it was what she was destined to do.
The drive came from her own personal trauma involving a spiked drink, her dad said. She decided then that she wanted to be there for other women and "anybody in trouble that needs me," David Craven reflected.
At a news conference Tuesday honoring the fallen officer, Chief of Police Ray Sweeney shared a message Craven wrote while in the process of being hired by the La Mesa Police Department:
"'It has always been my passion to serve others and there has never been a doubt in my mind being a law enforcement officer is what I was meant to do.' That's who Lauren was and that's how she served and how she will be remembered," Sweeney said.
Craven's death marks the first line-of-duty loss in the La Mesa Police Department's 105-year history. She was relatively new to the force, joining the La Mesa Police Department in February 2024 in the patrol division, but her death was felt by departments and municipalities across Southern California.
Craven spent most of her life in Oregon, where she fostered a passion for the outdoors. Before moving to California, she graduated from Loyola Marymount with a bachelor's degree in International Studies. She is survived by her mother, Karen, her father, David, her sister, Margot, and her partner, Miles, LMPD said.
"Lauren was a light," Chief Sweeney said. "Her positivity was immediate and genuine. Whether helping a colleague, answering a stranger's question or stepping up into a difficult case that she was working, she led with compassion, courage and professionalism."
Governor Gavin Newsom honored the officer and ordered flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space to be flown at half-staff.
"Officer Craven served her community with pride and dedication. 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."
The driver killed in Monday night's crash was identified by family as 19-year-old De'Veonte Morris. CHP said he was one of the two drivers involved in the initial crash, to which Craven responded.