After weeks of speculation, a Northern California county official confirmed that he was the driver of the vehicle that killed an 18-year-old high school student in March.
Todd Leopold, Placer County’s county executive officer, confessed in a news release May 13 that he was responsible for the car crash that killed 18-year-old Anthony Williams on March 19.
KCRA reported that the crash took place in Rocklin on Lonetree Boulevard and Adams Drive, adjacent to the Blue Oaks Town Center mall. Williams, a student and basketball player at Inderkum High, was walking on the road when he was struck by Leopold. Police said at the time that the driver was cooperating with the investigation, the news station said.
“My words and emotions cannot adequately express my profound grief and sadness,” Leopold said in a press release. “I am heartbroken for the loss of this young man and extend my sincere condolences to Mr. Williams’ family, friends, and all of those impacted by this tragic accident.”
But in the weeks after Williams’ death, KXTV reports, his family and friends — as well as an activist group — have been critical of the police’s investigation, frustrated in particular about the nearly 2-month duration of their investigation and their failure to identify Leopold after the incident.
Allegations that Leopold was the driver in the vehicle that killed Williams swirled around the community as far back as April 23, when a community member leveled the allegation against the police in a comment on the department’s Facebook page, as first reported by the Sacramento Bee.
Rocklin police still have yet to publicly identify Leopold as the driver — and, following a police investigation, “determined that the driver is not at fault,” said the department in a statement.
The department has also been largely obstinate in providing details surrounding the crash to news organizations. Multiple media outlets, including the Sacramento Bee and KCRA, were denied copies of the accident report despite filing public records requests.
Leopold said in his statement he did not want to step forward earlier because he “did not want to be perceived, in any way, as attempting to influence the outcome of the Rocklin Police Department’s investigation.”
In light of Leopold’s statement, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office is conducting its own review of the crash.
“We understand and appreciate the public’s interest in this incident and will work diligently to make our findings available in a timely manner,” the district attorney’s statement to media outlets said. “However, those directly involved in the incident and their family and next of kin must have the opportunity to receive and process this information before it is made available to the public.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
