Escondido police officer criminally charged in fatal crash with E-bike rider

ESCONDIDO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) -- An Escondido police officer pleaded not guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge stemming from a pursuit crash that killed an e-bike rider last year. Officer Jason Ingco was arraigned in a North County courtroom in connection with the Aug. 21, 2025, death of Jacob Illian, a husband and father of two who was riding his electric bicycle along a bike path near Citrus Avenue when he collided with an Escondido police vehicle. According to prosecutors, Ingco was attempting to conduct a traffic stop that escalated into a pursuit. During that pursuit, a collision occurred between the patrol vehicle and Illian, resulting in the rider’s death. “We know during the course of that pursuit a collision did occur, and based on that collision, that’s what resulted in the death of the victim in the case,” Deputy District Attorney Vincent Chen said following the arraignment. Ingco entered a plea of not guilty. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of one year in county jail. Illian’s widow, Merari Magallanes, said she and her husband had been together for about 15 years and were raising two daughters, ages 13 and 7. “He was the best dad in the world to them,” Magallanes said. “He was very loving. He loved his family. He loved his kids.” She said her husband remained devoted to his family despite suffering partial paralysis from an accidental shooting years earlier. She also questioned investigators’ assertion that he fled from police. “I know he wouldn’t run from police because he was disabled,” Magallanes said. “I know he wouldn’t put himself in that position to warrant a chase.” Attorneys representing the Illian family said they are awaiting the release of police body camera and vehicle footage. They contend the officer should not have driven onto the narrow bike path. “The officer accelerated to a high rate of speed on a bike path where he shouldn’t have been in the first place and then intentionally knocked Jake off of his bicycle and then ran him over and killed him,” family attorney Mark Fleming said. Ingco’s attorney declined to comment following the hearing. In a statement, the Escondido Police Department offered condolences to Illian’s family and said Ingco remains on paid administrative leave in accordance with department policy. “The City of Escondido offers its condolences to Mr. Illian’s family for their loss,” the statement said. “Officer Ingco is on paid administrative leave at this time, in accordance with department policy. As this is an active criminal case that will proceed through the judicial process, the City and Police Department will not be providing additional comment at this time.”