A detective with the El Monte Police Department, 12 miles from Los Angeles, California, is facing a lower sentence for a hit-and-run accident. Eric Johnston, 44, took a plea deal and on Monday, March 2nd, pleaded no contest to the charge of hit-and-run resulting in injury, and insurance fraud.

A no-contest plea means that the accused person is not contesting the charges, but is not pleading guilty either. However, the court records it as a conviction, and it remains on the person’s record.

Johnston was facing a maximum sentence of six years and eight months but made a deal with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. He will serve upon getting sentenced 90 days in jail, three-year probation, and 60 days of Caltrans service.

Sentencing is fixed for April 7th, according to Greg Risling, the spokesperson of LACDAO. The accident that Johnston got arrested for occurred on March 15th, 2016, at Bonita and Damien avenues.

The police report showed that the detective was off duty when he hit an unnamed couple from Rancho Cucamonga, and fled from the scene. The two suffered significant injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The police got a tip in the form of an anonymous letter and began investigating the accident. While searching for the car, they found out that it’s a Camry, and belonged to Johnston, who had sold it after the crash.

The police also uncovered that the detective had lied to the insurance company that he was in a hit-and-run when the car was parked. The DA filed charges against Johnston on March 5th, 2019, and he surrendered himself to the police at his arraignment in Pomona Superior Court.

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