The San Diego Police Officers Association has established a trust fund for Officer Prokop's family. Donations can be mailed to:
Officer Jasion Prokop Family Trust c/o San Diego Police Officers Association
8388 Vickers Street San Diego, CA 92111
SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego police Sunday were mourning the loss of a colleague fatally struck on Interstate 15 as he ran to the aid of a fatally injured driver whose stopped car he had just rear-ended.
Officer Jason Prokop, 34, was driving south in a 2011 Mazda 6 about 3:05 a.m. when he crashed into 1992 Honda Accord stopped in the No. 1 lane for an unknown reason south of Mira Mesa Boulevard, according to police and the California Highway Patrol.
Moments later, a 1998 BMW sideswiped the Honda, according to CHP Officer Art Athans..
Then, two other vehicles collided, with the driver of each vehicle suffering minor injuries.
Prokop, a five-year officer, got out of his vehicle and ran across two lanes to the Honda his car had struck and was fatally struck by a 2010 Toyota Corolla driven by an off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, Athans said.
The Honda driver also died. Her name was unavailable, but authorities said she was a 21-year-old woman from Palmdale. Athans said there was no immediate evidence alcohol played a role in any of the accidents.
The crashes had some southbound lanes closed until about 12:30 p.m. It was unclear why the Honda was stopped.
No one was immediately citied in connection with accident, which is being investigated by the CHP. All involved parties were wearing their seatbelts.
Prokop, who was assigned to the Central Division, became the sixth San Diego police officer to die in the past year, according to the San Diego Police Officers Association.
He lived in Arizona with his wife and two young children and commuted to San Diego. He is also survived by his parents.
"Another citizen soldier has made the ultimate sacrifice doing what he did best, serving his community," union president Brian R. Marvel said. "His life gave meaning to the pledge every officer and service member takes to protect and serve his fellow man."
Prokop, formerly an Army Ranger, had been a combat medic before joining the SDPD. As a reservist, he spent about 8 months last year working as a drill sergeant at Fort Knox.
Prokop was due at work at 6 a.m., police said.
Capt. Mark Jones, his supervisor, said Prokop was "a tremendous officer.
"He was the type of law officer that you wanted on your command. He was a hard worker, he was humble, and did a great job," he said.
A trust fund has been set up for Prokop's family. Donations can be sent to the Officer Jason Prokop Family Trust, c/o San Diego Police Officers Association, 8388 Vickers St., San Diego, CA 92111.
On Aug. 24, off-duty officer Christopher Blakeley, 26, was killed in a motorcycle accident in the San Diego neighborhood of Palm City. He allegedly ran a red light and crashed into a truck, police said.
Child abuse unit Detective Donna Williams, 52, and her 18-year-old daughter, Briana, were stabbed to death at their Rancho Peñasquitos home on July 18, allegedly by Williams' son Brian.
On Aug. 1, Officer David Hall, 41, committed suicide at his home in Clairemont. Hall was awaiting trial on drunken-driving and hit-and-run charges.
A week later, on Aug. 7, Officer Jeremy Henwood, 36, was killed by a suicidal gunman who pulled alongside his patrol car in City Heights and opened fire.
Officer Christopher Wilson, 50, died Oct. 28 after he was called to a Skyline apartment to help arrest a fugitive and was met with gunfire.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, READ THE PREVIOUS STORY BELOW.
SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - Lanes five, six, and the HOV lanes have been reopened on southbound Interstate 15 in Mira Mesa Saturday after a deadly multi-vehicle crash, according to Caltrans officials.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, READ THE PREVIOUS STORY BELOW.
SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 15 left someone dead and temporarily closed southbound lanes Saturday, according to a California Highway Patrol dispatcher.
The crash occurred shortly after 3 a.m. just south of Mira Mesa Boulevard, a CHP dispatcher said.
"There appears to be about six vehicles involved in the crash which has shut down all the southbound lanes at Mira Mesa," the CHP dispatcher said.
"But I don't have any details yet about the deceased or the crash."
The CHP declared a SigAlert at 3:20 a.m. Traffic was being taken off the southbound freeway lanes at Mira Mesa Boulevard, she said.
