Officer Stephen M. Linen

Officer Stephen Linen was on Interstate 5, north of Leucadia Boulevard, in the City of Encinitas conducting an enforcement stop. As he stood near the right side of the patrol car, the suspect vehicle drove onto the shoulder, struck the right rear of the patrol car and pushed it into the pickup truck. The impact caused the patrol car to enter the lanes of traffic and burst into flames. When the patrol car spun out of the way, the right front fender of the suspect vehicle hit Linen, while traveling at a very high rate of speed, and launched him 15-20 feet up onto the embankment. Several witnesses arrived and began CPR efforts at the collision scene. Linen was airlifted to Scripps La Jolla Hospital and was subsequently pronounced dead at 0701. The 31-year-old died of massive skull fractures. The driver, a 20-year-old lance corporal stationed at Camp Pendleton, was allegedly returning from a night of drinking in Tijuana. He was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.