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Police Seek Public’s Help in Freeway Gun Murder

California Highway Patrol (CHP) is seeking information from anyone who may have witnessed a freeway homicide earlier this month.

Just before 10 p.m. on Jan. 13, police received a call of a car having crashed into the center divide along Interstate 280 north of De Anza Boulevard. The person who called the police believed the car may have been racing or involved in a road rage incident, according to a press release from the CHP.

Upon arrival, officers observed a man in the car with extensive injuries suffered in the crash, said Sgt. Andrew Barclay, public information officer for the Golden Gate region of CHP.

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Paramedics arrived on scene and rushed the victim to Stanford Hospital. Doctors later contacted police, informing them that the man had been shot in the head, pronouncing him dead.

The victim, Richard Agpawa, 41, was from Oakley, Calif., according to the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s Office. The medical examiner listed the cause of death as homicide.

Police believe an assailant shot Agpawa shortly before the crash, causing him to hit the center divide, Barclay said.

The witness said two vehicles were speeding, but police were unable to determine at what speed and angle Agpawa crashed into the divide.  Police were also unable to corroborate whether the caller’s claim that road rage or a race spurred the incident, Barclay said.

Details about how paramedics and police could have missed that Agpawa had been shot in the head while on scene were unavailable from the medical examiner’s office and CHP.

The condition of the vehicle “wasn’t pertinent to the incident,” Barclay said, so it was not information he solicited.

CHP is hoping that someone else may have witnessed the crime on Interstate 280. Detectives do not have a motive or suspect. Police are asking anyone with potentially helpful information to call the CHP investigative tip line at (707) 917-4491.

Contact David Alexander at d.todd.alexander@gmail.com

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3 Comments
  1. RJ 2 weeks ago
    Reply

    According to the GoFundMe page set up by Agpawa’s family, the victim was driving to work when the homicide occurred. “Details about how paramedics and police could have missed that Agpawa had been shot in the head while on scene were unavailable from the medical examiner’s office and CHP.” There’s a good chance bias and complacency led CHP to pre-determine the incident was another street racing crash, that bias probably contributed to responding EMS not looking at everything. Since it was an incident on 280 at De Anza Blvd, it’s likely Santa Clara County Fire and/or Sunnyvale DPS responded with EMS-level staff, not advanced-trained Paramedics. A Paramedic would have looked closer at the head trauma. Hopefully, law enforcement resources are looking at electronic data from cell towers to try and identify who was on that stretch of highway at the same time.

    • George Glass 1 week ago
      Reply

      Thanks RJ the family would like closer on this act of violence to a husband father son brother and an all around good guy

    • RKA 1 week ago
      Reply

      RJ – family member here and thank you for your comment. Is it possible to connect directly to discuss further? Appreciated your insight and seeking any help we can to get some answers. TY

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