SAN DIEGO
A California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer badly injured in an Escondido crash earlier this week is a 13-year agency veteran and Medal of Valor recipient, an honor earned for rescuing an unconscious man trapped in a burning car.
The CHP on Wednesday identified the officer, who was injured shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday, as Officer Joseph Heightman.
The crash happened as Heightman rode his motorcycle east on West Via Rancho Parkway near Lomas Seranas Drive when a Nissan Rogue took a left turn directly into his path.
Heightman was thrown from the motorcycle in the crash, CHP Officer Salvador Castro said.