BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Earlier this month, Oxnard Police Department announced the retirement of one of its veteran police officers who was critically injured in a 2017 motorcycle crash.
In a news release, Oxnard police said they presented Officer James Langford with his retirement plaque on August 13 in a special ceremony with family and friends.
Langford was in a medically-induced coma for about two weeks following a motorcycle crash in Kern County September of 2017. Officials said he was on a training ride when he lost control of the motorcycle on Highway 58, just west of Highway 33.
Langford later filed a claim against Kern County and a civil lawsuit against Shark Helmets. He claimed he suffered from economic and non-economic damages due to life threatening injuries.
The claim against Kern County said the city's poor maintenance, loose debris, and narrow asphalt as dangerous conditions on SR-58 that led to the accident.
The civil lawsuit against Shark Helmets, which has an upcoming court date scheduled for September 24, stated that due to "loose dirt and debris" on the roadway plus the "comprehensive failure" of Langford's Shark motorcycle helmet, he suffered a severe traumatic brain injury.
The release from Oxnard PD added that, "Although Officer Langford made great strides in his recovery, it is what led to his retirement."
