Cop arrested on suspicion of DUI and killing cyclist

An LAPD officer was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after hitting and killing a cyclist on Christmas Eve in Ontario, Calif., according to police. Aaron Kleibacker, 39, was driving south on Bon View Avenue when he hit the cyclist around 7:37 p.m. on Dec. 24, according to Ontario Police Department spokesperson Corp. Eliseo Guerrero.

Inititally fled

Kleibacker initially fled the scene, but later returned, Guerrero said. A sobriety test revealed he was above the legal alcohol limit.

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It is unclear whether Kleibacker identified himself as a law enforcement officer to investigators, but Guerrero noted he was cooperative, according to the LA Times. It was his first year on the job, as well. The officer had not been involved in any prior incidents along the stretch of Bon View Avenue, a relatively quiet, two-lane road.

Cyclist died in hospital

The cyclist, identified by the medical examiner’s office as 38-year-old Fabio Cebreros from Chino,Calif., was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died from his injuries. Kleibacker was arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter. He was released on Christmas Day, and charges remain pending.

Kleibacker, who had most recently been assigned to the Rampart Division, joined the LAPD after serving in the U.S. Marines. (Rampart serves communities to the west of Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA), including Silver Lake, Echo Park, Pico-Union, and Westlake.)

Still employed by LAPD

The LA Times reported that his social media presence indicated that he had a military background before entering law enforcement. His accounts have since been deleted. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Kleibacker was still employed but declined further comment on the incident.

Under LAPD policy, officers on probation, which includes those who have recently graduated from the police academy, can be fired without a hearing for alleged misconduct. Such officers do not have the right to plead their cases in a board of rights hearing like other LAPD personnel.