Should Detective Zachary Palumbo Go?

Last week Detective Zachary Palumbo took the stand in the Elva Diaz DUI murder trial. He talked  about how drunk he and his girlfriend were back in 2008. They argued outside the bar on who was going to drive home. She insisted she wanted to and he didn't have to courage or intelligence to try and stop her. He walked home while she drove the 1.7 mile route from the bar. One block before the turn into Zachary Palumbo's neighborhood Elva Diaz crossed over into Rachel Elliott's lane, crushing Rachel on impact. She died hours later in a local hospital.

Excerpt from the Valley News:
According to testimony from her approximately week-long trial, the defendant had spent hours drinking with her boyfriend and other associates at Sportsman's Bar on Temescal Canyon Road in Corona before taking off in her truck and heading south on Knabe Road.

Placentia police Detective Zachary Palumbo, who was dating Diaz at the time, testified that both he and the defendant were under the influence and that he tried to dissuade her from driving away, but she refused to listen.


The lawman opted not to exercise his authority and attempt to physically stop her from leaving the parking lot that night. He walked home.

Diaz traveled less than a mile on Knabe before crashing into Elliott's vehicle. According to the District Attorney's Office, Diaz crossed into opposing traffic near Claystone Avenue and ran straight into the victim at a high rate of speed.

Elliott died hours later at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar. Diaz suffered minor injuries.

Full Article Here: http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/57256/


Should Officer Zachary Palumbo go? Would you want someone like this "protecting and serving" your community?

Send a letter to Chief of Police R.A. Hicks and let him know how you feel.

Placentia Police Department
Hicks, R.A. Chief of Police
401 E. Chapman Ave.
Placentia, CA 92870