INCIDENT: FATAL TRAFFIC COLLISION
DATE/TIME: Sunday, July 2nd, 2023, 9:57 PM
LOCATION: SR-71 Freeway, north of Rio Rancho Rd.
UNIT: Traffic Services Bureau
VICTIM: Adult Male - deceased; name withheld pending family notification
SUSPECT: Mark Shoemate; 33 year-old resident of Aliso Viejo
On Sunday, July 2nd, 2023, at about 9:57 PM, Pomona Police Dispatch received a call of a major traffic collision on SR-71 Freeway north of Rio Rancho Rd. When officers arrived on-scene, they discovered that a flatbed tow truck traveling northbound on SR-71 had been struck by another vehicle, causing the tow truck to jump the center divider into oncoming southbound traffic. A family in a minivan ,traveling southbound, collided head-on into the tow truck causing significant injury to several occupants.
L. A County Fire Department personnel arrived on-scene and transported the injured parties to a nearby hospital. Unfortunately, one of the injured parties succumbed to their injuries, and were pronounced deceased.
The driver of the original vehicle that had struck the tow truck, Mark Shoemate, was contacted by officers on-scene and determined to be driving impaired under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested by Pomona Police Officers, and booked for Vehicular Manslaughter and Felony DUI.
The Pomona Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating the collision. Anyone with information about this collision is encouraged to call the Pomona Police Department's Traffic Services Bureau at (909) 802-7741 or (909) 620-2048.
Prepared by: Traffic Services Bureau
Pomona Police Department
909-620-2156
