Prosecutor Refuses to Charge Police Officer Who Allegedly Commits Hit-and-Run, Lies About Accident, and Then Defends His Actions As “Impaired By Alcohol”

Redondo Beach City Prosecutor Brenda Wells is receiving considerable heat over her decision not to charge Torrance Police Sgt. Michael Mastick, who was involved in an off-duty hit-and-run collision. He admitted that he fled the scene because “judgment was impaired by alcohol.” A novel defense to be sure but it seems to have worked.

Wells insists that the victim did not want the internal affairs investigator prosecuted — though such objections from victims are routinely ignored by prosecutors in bringing cases. She also said that the driver of the vehicle was not immediately identified by witnesses –which would appear less of a problem given Mastick’s incriminating statements.

What is also striking is that Wells acknowledged that Mastick originally told investigators that his wife was driving but later submitted a statement claiming that “he was the driver and he fled because his judgment was impaired by alcohol.”

That would appear to be a false statement in combination with a possible DUI and hit-and-run.

There is a push to get Mastick fired, here.

There is obviously a concern about officers and prosecutors using a double standard when officers are accused of DUIs or hit-and-runs, here and here and here and here.

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