The son of a prominent Los Angeles City Hall lobbyist was arrested on suspicion of drunkenly ramming into his father with a Ford Bronco and then fleeing the scene, leaving his severely injured father bleeding on the ground, authorities said.
Pasadena Police were called to a family disturbance in the 300 block of Mooresque Drive at 12:31 a.m. on Sept. 19, according to Lt. Monica Cuellar. The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Jack Modrejewski of Pasadena, was attempting to leave the scene while heavily intoxicated, she said.
“Then, the victim stood in the front of the vehicle and attempted to keep the suspect from driving away” she said. “The suspect then accelerated into the victim, knocking the victim onto the hood, and then eventually he fell off into the roadway.”
Jack Modrejewski collided with a city power pipe on Glen Oaks Blvd. near Manford Way as he fled the scene and drove to a friend’s house in the 900 block of Linda Vista Avenue where he was arrested, Cuellar said.
His father suffered a major injury to his left leg and pelvis after being hit by the car, she said.
Jack Modrejewski works at LA 28, which is organizing the Olympic games. He is the son of Chris Modrzejewski, a principal at influential lobbying firm M Strategic Communications and well known figure in L.A. City Hall.
The elder Modrzejewski was critically injured in the incident and received an emergency blood transfusion from Pasadena Fire Department paramedics, an action that “probably saved his life,” according to city spokesperson Lisa Derderian.
He was transported to Huntington Hospital for treatment and information on his condition was not available, said Cuellar.
Jack Modrejewski was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, driving under the influence and hit and run causing injury, Cuellar said.
Modrejewski posted bail and was released from custody Sept. 20, according to the L.A. County Sheriff Department’s inmate information center.
He could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is currently reviewing the case for potential charges,according to an office spokesperson.
Chris Modrzejewski has worked on numerous high-profile business campaigns including the deal to approve the Banc of California Stadium, now known as BMO Stadium, and once served as director of policy for former L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan, according to his company bio.
Most recently, his firm M Strategic Communications took on Lineageas a client in the aftermath of the toxic fire at its cold-storage warehouse in Boyle Heights.
Jack Modrzejewski worked the state and local affairs teams at LA28 where he supports government relations and stakeholder engagement in preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to his LinkedIn bio. LA28 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Sept. 19 incident marked the first time that the Pasadena Fire Department had provided an emergency blood transfusion under a new program approved by City Council in August, said Derderian.
By storing blood in two battalion chief vehicles, paramedics are able to begin transfusions at the scene of a severe bleeding emergency instead of having to wait until the victim arrives at a hospital. Research shows that every one minute delay in receiving a transfusion increases mortality rates by 2%.
“Severe bleeding remains one of the leading causes of preventable death following traumatic injury,” said Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin in a statement last month. “By bringing blood directly to patients in the field, our firefighter paramedics can begin critical treatment sooner and improve outcomes for people experiencing life-threatening emergencies.”
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