Off-Duty Police Officer Charged in
Hit and Run Death of Student

ELK GROVE, Calif. - A Sacramento police officer suspected of drunken driving faces felony hit and run charges stemming from the death of a 13-year-old boy who had just unloaded from his school bus.

Police Officer Jason March allegedly had a blood alcohol level of 0.20 - over twice the legal limit - when his Ford Expedition struck Michael Ramirez on May 31 as the student at Harriet G. Eddy Middle School crossed the street after exiting his school bus. Claudia Sherrill, the transportation director at Elk Grove Unified School District, said Ramirez made a right-side egress with no street crossing required. California law requires all school bus drivers to escort students across the street when a crossing is necessary from the school bus stop to the student's home or final destination.

After the school bus pulled away from the stop, Sherrill said, Ramirez ran across the street to recover a racer scooter he had earlier hidden in the bushes to complete his journey home.

After striking Ramirez, witnesses said March fled the scene at speeds in excess of 85 mph. The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office said the California Highway Patrol's Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team has not yet completed its accident reconstruction and investigation regarding potential felony charges of driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter . 

"Once that investigation is complete a comprehensive review of all of the evidence will be conducted," the D.A.'s office said in a written statement.  

March, 29, was arrested by California Highway Patrol officers three blocks from the crime scene at 5:58 p.m. He is free on $55,000 bail and was arraigned June 7 in Superior Court on one count of felony hit and run. A day earlier, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department said it received an email death threat against March that threatened to kill him on the date of the arraignment. But the actual text was more ambiguous.

"Beware for Jason March will not be safe in your custody. He will be punished for killing Michael Ramirez," the email read.

Sheriff's Department spokesperson Sgt. R.L. Davis confirmed that additional verbal threats towards March's life were made at the originally scheduled arraignment, which was postponed.

At press time, March had yet to enter a plea. Judge Gary E. Ransom granted the defense a continuance until July 20.

Sacramento Police Department spokesperson Officer Michelle Lazark said March is on administrative leave and will be terminated. March's arrest came days after the Sacramento Police Department announced a new $754,000 DUI education and enforcement program. R eal DUI trials and up to 50 other safe-driving presentations will be shown in local high schools through the end of the year. The Police Department said it is also implementing a "Hot Sheet" surveillance program designed to target repeat DUI offenders who continue to drive while on probation.

Source: School Transportation News, August 2005. All rights reserved.