Motorcyclist hits, badly hurts Costa Mesa officer

Deep Bharath

A police motorcycle officer who has won awards from local groups for

making DUI arrests suffered a cracked pelvis Monday night after he

was hit by a drunken motorcyclist, police said.

Officer Dennis Dickens and his partner Tony Yannizzi were riding

south on the San Diego Freeway north of Harbor Boulevard in the

carpool lane at about 10 p.m. when a speeding third motorcycle came

from behind and hit Dickens’ motorcycle, Costa Mesa Police Lt. John

FitzPatrick said.

The two officers had just completed their shifts and were riding

side-by-side at about 65 mph, he said. The motorcyclist, 33-year-old

Javier Gasga of Mission Viejo, was doing at least 100 mph when he

struck Dickens’ motorcycle, FitzPatrick said.

The impact of the collision catapulted Dickens from his

motorcycle, FitzPatrick said. The officer landed on his partner’s

motorcycle and tried to hang on to Yannizzi’s left leg, but couldn’t

maintain his grip, FitzPatrick said. Dickens fell onto the asphalt

and rolled on the freeway, he said.

Along with the cracked pelvis, Dickens suffered several cuts on

his body that may require surgery, FitzPatrick said. Dickens went

into surgery Tuesday afternoon for a skin graft, he said. Yannizzi

was uninjured.

Gasga was also thrown off his motorcycle, landed on Dickens’

police motorcycle and ended up involuntarily riding it for a quarter

of a mile before crashing onto the freeway, FitzPatrick said.

It was Yannizzi, a former Marine, who eventually saved two lives

-- his partner’s and the life of the drunken driver who hit him,

FitzPatrick said.

“Tony was able to stop his motorcycle and ran back to the suspect,

who was lying in the number two lane of the freeway,” he said.

“[Yannizzi] pulled the suspect to the shoulder of the freeway to

safety. He then ran to aid Officer Dickens, who was attempting to

crawl to the left shoulder of the freeway. He was the hero.”

California Highway Patrol officers arrested Gasga on suspicion of

felony driving under the influence. Both Gasga and Dickens were taken

to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo.

Dickens’ colleagues are “shaken up” by the incident, said Officer

Bryan Wadkins, also a motorcycle officer.

“Everyone was very concerned,” he said. “A lot of officers,

including myself, have visited him at the hospital.”

Dickens seemed to be “in good spirits,” Wadkins said.

“We’re so lucky he’s with us today,” he said. “He could’ve easily

died. The biggest fear in any motorcycle rider when you get in an

accident is that you’re going to get run over. He’s lucky that his

injuries are moderate and he can recover.”

Both Yannizzi and Dickens have been on motorcycle patrol for five

years, Wadkins said.

“If anyone should’ve been there [Monday] night, it should’ve been

Tony,” he said. “Any of us would’ve done what Tony did, but it’s

special because they’ve been partners for a long time and share a

strong emotional bond as well.”

Yannizzi, who received the department’s Officer of the Year award

last year, was not available for comment on Tuesday.

Yannizzi and Dickens have made more than 300 DUI arrests in their

careers and have received several awards from Mothers Against Drunk

Driving, FitzPatrick said.

“Tony also served as a Marine for 20 years, and it’s amazing that

he saved two people’s lives on Memorial Day in an act of heroism,” he

said.

The irony didn’t stop there, Wadkins said.

“The CHP car that was conducting the investigation got hit by

another drunk driver right after they wrapped up this one,” he said.

“Last night just goes to show how real the problem of drunken driving

is and how dangerous it can be to drive on the freeways on a

holiday.”

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at [email protected].