Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP attorneys Spencer Lucas, Bobby Reagan, and Alec Clark, alongside co-counsel at Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP, have filed a lawsuit on behalf of the family of 21-year-old Gavin Hinkley and his 20-year-old fiancée, Madeline Fox. Gavin was killed and Madeline suffered catastrophic injuries when a Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy ran a red light at nearly 100 miles per hour and collided with the young couple’s vehicle.
The lawsuit centers on three failures: a deputy’s reckless driving, an intersection that plaintiffs say was unsafe by design, and an emergency response that allegedly delayed care to the most critically injured victims.
On September 6, 2025, Gavin and Madeline were running wedding errands when Deputy Glynn Allen Wilburn’s patrol vehicle struck their Tesla Model 3 at the intersection of Cherry Valley Boulevard and Roberts Street in the City of Calimesa. According to a C.H.P. Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) report, Deputy Wilburn was traveling 100 mph and was still going nearly 98 mph just two seconds before impact – with his brakes off. He ran the red light and hit the driver’s side of the vehicle. Gavin, who was driving, died at the scene. Madeline, in the passenger seat, suffered a traumatic brain injury and other catastrophic, permanent injuries. The couple had been together for years and were weeks away from their wedding day. Instead of celebrating, their families are now seeking justice – and answers.
“This was not an accident–it was a preventable tragedy caused by reckless conduct,” said Spencer Lucas, partner at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP. “The evidence shows a law enforcement officer barreled through a red light at extreme speeds. That decision took a young man’s life and forever changed the life of the woman he was about to marry.”
The lawsuit also takes aim at the intersection itself. Plaintiffs allege the Cherry Valley Boulevard and Roberts Street crossing had blocked sightlines, utility boxes that obstructed visibility, and inadequate traffic controls – all of which, they argue, the County of Riverside, City of Beaumont, and City of Calimesa knew about or should have known about and failed to correct. Southern California Edison is also named for its role in maintaining utility equipment at the intersection.
The suit also alleges that American Medical Response (AMR) paramedics treated Deputy Wilburn first – transporting him before attending to Gavin and Madeline, who had far more severe injuries. Plaintiffs say this delay cost Gavin his life and worsened Madeline’s injuries. The dispatch of emergency personnel is also challenged, with allegations that 911 operators failed to properly triage the call or prioritize advanced life support.
“The failures in this case didn’t stop with the crash,” said Michael Bidart, partner at Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP. “From the dangerous conditions at the intersection to the delayed emergency response, this was a cascade of preventable errors that compounded the harm.”
More than eight months after this preventable tragedy, Deputy Wilburn’s conduct remains under active criminal review. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office continues to evaluate the evidence, with criminal charges pending as the investigation moves forward.
“When conduct rises to this level, accountability must exist on every level–civil and criminal,” Mr. Lucas added. “These families deserve answers, and they deserve justice.”
Gavin’s parents, Lauren and Cory Hinkley, are suing for the wrongful death of their son. Madeline Fox, still recovering from her injuries, brings claims for the physical, emotional, and financial damages she will carry for the rest of her life.
Defendants in the case are Riverside County, Deputy Glynn Allen Wilburn, Southern California Edison, the cities of Beaumont and Calimesa, and American Medical Response of Southern California.