# California cop charged with causing e-bike rider’s death during pursuit > Source: > Published: 2026-06-05 13:26:59+00:00 **Getting your** [Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready...An Escondido police officer accused of killing an e-bike rider he was pursuing pleaded not guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge. Officer Jason Ingco, 35, is accused of causing the death of Jacob Illian while driving his patrol car Aug. 21, 2025. He remains out of custody on his own recognizance. This is the second time in the past two weeks that a law enforcement officer has faced criminal charges for on-duty collisions involving patrol cars. In May, Chula Vista police Officer Johan Jacobo, 29, [pleaded not guilty](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/21/chula-vista-police-officer-charged-with-motorcyclists-death-in-on-duty-crash/) to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in the June 20, 2025, death of Simon Robledo, 28. He is accused of fatally striking the motorcyclist after allegedly running a red light. “Our policy is the same, which is that we file charges where evidence of a crime is provable beyond a reasonable doubt without favor or prejudice towards anyone,” said Tanya Sierra, spokesperson for the county District Attorney’s Office. “There’s no rhyme or reason for a certain type of crime occurring close in time.” Escondido police officials said Ingco is on paid administrative leave, in accordance with department policy. It was not immediately known how long Ingco had been on the force. “The City of Escondido offers its condolences to Mr. Illian’s family for their loss,” a department statement said. City officials declined to provide additional comments, citing the active criminal case. Ingco, flanked by defense attorney David Lopez, appeared at a brief hearing before Vista Superior Court Judge Brian Erickson. A trial date was set for Sept. 30. Lopez declined to comment on the case after the hearing. Family and friends of Illian sat in the courtroom for the morning arraignment wearing black T-shirts adorned with the victim’s name and photo. They said he was a father of two and had worked as a car detailer and in construction before going on disability. Outside of the courthouse, Deputy District Attorney Vincent Chen declined to say what led up to the pursuit or offer specific details about the case. “We felt that based on our review of all the evidence in the case, we did feel that the officer’s actions … did warrant criminal liability,” he said. If convicted, Ingco faces up to a year in jail, Chen said. In a news release at the time of the incident, police said a man [riding an electric motorcycle](https://nixle.us/GKR8R?_ga=2.138834739.1412067604.1780606704-1748703047.1780606704), not an e-bike, died after colliding with a police car pursuing him. The officer had attempted to stop the man near Valley Parkway and Rose Street, but said he did not yield, leading to the pursuit. Police said Illian took a bike path along a flood control channel that runs between Valley Parkway and Washington Avenue, east of Midway Drive, where the collision occurred. Illian’s family said he died between 3 and 4 p.m., as he was heading to pick up his daughter, who is now 13, from school. He also had a 7-year-old daughter, said his wife, Merari Magallanes. Illian was left disabled after he suffered a gunshot wound more than a year ago, an injury that left him with a metal plate in the back of his neck, his wife said. She said he was loving and generous and was a good father. “He loved his family, he loved his kids,” she said. Lisa Ibarra, his oldest sister, said the family was devastated by his death. She said her brother had a history of substance abuse but was never violent and complained that Escondido police “harassed him a lot.” “He had a rough life, but they made it harder for his day-to-day living,” she said. An attorney hired by the family, Mark Fleming, said the family was grateful the district attorney was pursuing criminal charges against Ingco. “We greatly appreciate the fact that this officer, like any citizen, is going to be held accountable,” Fleming said.