[eno_]

If a non-cop had run them over he would be:

a) On paid leave pending investigation, which could take a while.

b) Hoping his employer would come up with enough taxpayer money to make the problem go away.

c) In a jail cell unable to make bail, fired, and waaaaaay up a creek.

[MattAMiller]

If a non-cop had run over them they wouldn't have been allowed to drive on the beach in the first place and obviously culpable. The cop accidently killed two people in the course of an activity which was a part of his job.

If your average citizen had accidently killed a pedestrian in the course of going about their daily lives he'd probably be sitting at home waiting for word on whether or not the DA will prosecute. Kind of like this guy is.