An off-duty San Diego police detective lost his left leg and suffered serious injuries after his motorcycle was involved in a collision Sunday in Alpine.
Detective James “Chappie” Hunter was hospitalized Monday with internal injuries and a broken arm officials said.
Around 7 p.m. Sunday, Hunter’s motorcycle collided with a white sedan in the 2100-block of Alpine Boulevard.
The car made a right turn and clipped the detective’s motorcycle according to witness Ryan Parker.
“We were just coming back from dinner and we rolled up and we saw the guy lying on the ground,” said Parker.
Parker said he could tell immediately that the rider’s leg was seriously injured.
“His leg was completely in a wrong, you know, different spot than he was. It didn’t look very good at all.
Mercy Air airlifted Hunter to Sharp Memorial Hospital.
He is a 19-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department who works on the Human Trafficking Task Force.
The detective was “alert and thinking positive about the future,” said SDPD Sex Crimes unit Lt. Chuck Kaye who works closely with Hunter.
Lt. Kaye said the detective's parents, wife and family members along with fellow officers visited him hospital last night.
Det. Hunter is very athletic who is in excellent shape and "a big Cross Fit guy Kaye said.
He says that will help him in his recovery.
CHP Officer Kevin Pearlstein said the collision was under investigation. After the investigation, officers will determine if charges will be filed, he said.
Despite some media reports that identified the driver as an unlicensed 15 year old girl, CHP officers say the driver was 17 and has a valid permit. The driver was with her mother at the time of the collision.