A 36-year-old driver who authorities said was speeding at more than 110 mph moments before he struck and killed an LAPD officer and a stranded motorist on the 405 Freeway last year was charged with two counts of murder, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced.

“This case is a tragic reminder that police officers risk their lives every day to keep us safe,” Hochman said. “I want to emphasize that speeding kills. If you drive over 100 mph and kill someone, you are on a fast-track to a murder charge.”

The driver, Mario Joseph Bickham, of Hawthorne, faces two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Sgt. Shiou Lih Deng, who was assigned to the West Los Angeles Division, and Jesús Arturo Garcia, whose truck was disabled on the freeway when the collision occurred on June 23, 2025. Bickham had been cited a month prior for driving 105 mph and failed to appear in court, authorities said. The defendant also has multiple additional prior speeding citations.

Bickham is accused of crashing into Deng’s patrol vehicle and Garcia’s pickup, killing both men. Shortly before the fatal collision, Garcia was involved in a separate collision and his pickup became stalled in the HOV lane near the Sunset Boulevard exit. Deng was driving on the 405 Freeway when he came upon the disabled vehicle and stopped behind Garcia with his emergency lights flashing to protect the stranded motorist, Hochman said. Two minutes later, Bikham’s car struck both vehicles.

Bickham faces 15 years to life in state prison for each victim. He is being held on $4 million bail.