LOS ANGELES, CA- A city man who killed a Los Angeles police officer and a Whole Foods worker in a horrific crash and then had the audacity to hold a fundraiser for himself has now been charged with murder in their deaths, The New York Post reports.
Mario Bickham, 36, of Los Angeles was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of LAPD Sgt. Shiou Deng and Jesus Garcia, 34, on the 405 Freeway on June 23, 2025. The charges were announced by Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
According to Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell, Bickah was driving his car at 112 miles per hour when he slammed into Deng, who had just exited his patrol vehicle to assist Garcia, who finished his shift at Whole Foods and was stopped near the Getty Center.
Garcia, whose car had been struck by a hit-and-run vehicle shortly before the 2 a.m. collision, was pronounced dead at the scene. Deng, 53, a 26-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.
“This was an absolute tragedy, because it was a preventable crash caused by a conscious disregard of the safety of others,” said McDonnell.
According to his Facebook profile, Bickham works at the Department of Homeland Security and fancies himself something of a model, frequently posting photos of his physique and tattoos on social media. He displays an affinity for nightlife and Egyptian iconography.
Hochman also noted that Bickham was particularly fond of reckless driving at dangerous speeds. He has been cited numerous times for speeding over the past 15 years, Hochman said, and has been twice nabbed speeding in excess of 100 miles per hour, including once in the month before the crash when he was nailed for going 105 miles per hour.
Hochman said Bickham didn’t appear in court for that citation and had failed to appear in court previously for a number of speeding violations, which is apparently not a concern in California.
Bickham suffered injuries to both his legs in the crash and was hospitalized as a result. While in his hospital bed, he took photos of his legs and posted the image to an online GoFundMe fundraiser, seeking to raise $5,000 to cover hospital bills and money toward a new car. The fundraiser was called “Support Mario’s Road to Recovery” and was co-organized by Bickham and a friend, claiming he would face months of recovery and financial strain due to his totaled car, The Post reported.
“Despite these challenges, Mario’s spirits remain incredibly high,” the crowdfunding page reads, which thus far has raised $1,820 from 27 donations and remains active. Perhaps Bickham might want to redirect those funds toward a lawyer.
Hochman emphasized that the emergency lights on Deng’s cruiser were activated when Bickham slammed into him and Garcia. Hochman said dozens of other cars drove around Deng’s parked cruiser without incident.
BIckham was arrested Monday morning while he was on his way to his vehicle, Hochman said. He added that prosecutors will seek to have him held without bail at his upcoming arraignment due to the seriousness of the charges and his apparent reckless flouting of speed limits.
Hochman noted that pursuing murder charges against speeding drivers who cause fatal accidents in his office is nothing new, noting that in 2024 socialite Rebecca Grossman was convicted of killing two boys while speeding and is serving a prison sentence of 15 years to life.
“If you want to engage in fast speeds, especially speeds over 100 miles an hour, that is a fasts track to a murder charge,” Hochman said. “So, don’t do it.”
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