Good Samaritan Finds Stockton Officer After Hit-And-Run
ESCALON (CBS13) -- A horrific hit-and-run accident near Stockton Saturday night claimed the life of an off-duty Stockton police officer. Justin Kepler was riding his motorcycle along Highway 120 and Brennen Road in Escalon when a Chevrolet truck careened into him.
The driver of the truck took off, leaving good Samaritans to help the officer.
"'Can you hear me, can you hear me?' His eyes were open but he wasn't responsive," said Robby Stroud.
Stroud was one of the first people at the scene of the horrific crash that took Officer Justin Kepler's life. He was driving home when he saw a body on the side of the road.
"I walked out on Highway 120 and was helping direct traffic," added Stroud.
Stroud didn't know then the man hit was a Stockton police officer.
"I was very concerned for him because the other driver fled and that kind of infuriated me."
The driver, identified by police as 27-year-old Isidro Urista-Meza, ran off after he collided with Officer Kepler. Meza was later caught and arrested.
At a press conference Sunday afternoon, Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones says the community lost a true hero.
"He was an incredible asset to the police department and to the community; he was truly a cop's cop," said Chief Jones.
At just 28-years-old Officer Kepler was a field training officer for the Stockton Police Department. He was sworn into the department just four years ago.
Officer Kepler was also known to give back to his community.
Members of the River Oak Grace Community Church in Escalon told that Officer Kepler was involved with the youth ministry, and would often go on mission trips with the group.
Debris on Sunday from the deadly crash scene is all that's left on a section of Highway 120, giving a small glimpse of the tragedy that took a young police officer off the streets too soon.
"I just only hope and pray that he passed knowing there were people standing there to stop and care to know he was ok," reminisced Stroud.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating what led up to the crash and why the suspect took off. Investigators say alcohol and drugs were not a factor in the accident.
Meza was arrested and booked into the San Joaquin County Jail, and is facing charges of driving without a license, misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and felony hit and run.
