Pedestrian Killed By LAPD Truck In Playa Del Rey

DEL REY (CBSLA.com) — A pedestrian was killed early Monday morning after he was hit by a police vehicle, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Authorities said an officer with the LAPD's Bomb Squad, who had just left an assignment at LAX, was driving a department truck near Jefferson and Culver boulevards in Playa Del Rey around 12:05 a.m. when the accident occurred.

"It appears that the pedestrian was walking in the roadway, a male transient in the area. He was wearing dark clothing. It was foggy conditions, and it was very dark, so initially the officer didn't even know what he had struck," Sgt. Barry Montgomery said.

The officer, a veteran of the LAPD for more than 20 years, found the victim, 64-year-old Dean Joseph Bucheit, and administered CPR before the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived. Bucheit was declared dead at the scene by paramedics.

The officer, who was not injured, "is very distraught about the incident," Sgt. Montgomery said. "It appears that this is just a tragic accident."

An investigation was ongoing.