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“W
e have much to do if we are to reduce to a minimum the toll of deaths and serious
collisions on the highways. Numerous problems, such as glaring headlights, intoxicated and
reckless motorists, overloaded trucks, inadequate brakes, incompetent drivers, and the like
still confront us. We must be eternally vigilant, eternally ‘on the job.’” Those were the words
of then-Governor C. C. Young in 1929 when he addressed the newly created California
Highway Patrol. Those words still ring true today.
Before the CHP was created, all rural traffic officers were hired by
the counties. The new force was to be part of the State Division of Motor
Vehicles and to provide proper span of control. The state was divided
into 18 districts, which were subdivided into county squads. In 1948,
the state was divided into zones, and in 1977 the zones became the
current eight field divisions. Two years after it was established, the CHP
numbered 394 officers. In 2011, the patrol numbered 7,440 sworn
personnel, and 3,082 non sworn. Even the most expansive visions of
those original planners could not have foreseen today’s CHP.
As the patrol grew in size, so did its reputation for professionalism.
The CHP is recognized as a world leader in traffic law enforcement.
It is the largest public safety agency of its kind in the nation, and its
officer training program certainly stands as one of the most advanced.
Patrolling more than 100,000 miles of California highways and county roads requires
officers to be constantly alert to road hazards, weather conditions, distracted drivers, and
drivers under the influence. In the high-speed environment of today’s highways, danger can
come in an instant. Violence may be only moments away; death may be the price of duty.
In its 83 years as the guardian of California’s highways, the patrol has seen 222 officers
succumb to death in the line of duty. The deadliest year was 1964 when eight officers died in
the line of duty. Bakersfield Area has lost the most officers—13 and one State Police officer.
While we can never adequately repay the heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the
safety of the people of California, we can honor their memory.
Badges of Honor
is a salute
to each and
every one of
our 222
fallen officers.
2
California Highway Patrol
State of California
Commissioner
Joseph A. Farrow
Assistant Commissioner, Field
Ramona Prieto
Assistant Commissioner, Staff
Warren Stanley
Office of Media Relations
Assistant Chief Frank Parrish
Lieutenant Kelly Cardoza
Lieutenant Mike Brown
Director of Communications Fran Clader
Information Officer II Jaime Coffee
Editor Thora A. Chaves
Photographer Joe McHugh
Badges of Honor uses resource material currently available to the Office of Media Relations. Additional information and
insights into the lives and careers of these fine officers would be appreciated, especially photographs of those officers presently
indicated by a badge. If you have information you would like to share, please contact Thora Chaves of the Office of Media
Relations, P.O. Box 942898, Sacramento, CA 94298-0001, or via email at [email protected]. All photographs can be
returned upon request.
3
Tribute
Commissioner’s
California Highway Patrol officers are charged with enormous
responsibilities, and carry them out with pride. During the eight
decades that the California Highway Patrol has been in existence,
222 officers have been killed in the line of duty. And sadly, in 2011
we add another two names to our Memorial Fountain.
Officer Thomas Adams, your service and dedication is honored
here today, although it has been more than a year since you have
gone, your memory lives on with us. Your tragic death, while in brave
service to the people of California, is a tremendous loss.
Officer Robert James Quirk, it should not have taken 41 years
for your name to be added to the Memorial Fountain. You died
in the line of duty and carried with you a reputation as a hardworking, dedicated officer. That dedication set in motion events
on April 10, 1971, and you paid the ultimate price. Time never
diminishes honor and respect. Your memory will be honored and
revered here at the California Highway Patrol.
The Badges of Honor is created each year as a tribute to our 222
fallen officers, you will find their heroic stories memorialized in the
following pages. My heart goes out to all those touched by the loss
of these dedicated officers. May they find some solace in this tribute
to their loved one and never forget they are, and will always be,
members of the California Highway Patrol family.
J. A. Farrow
Commissioner
4
In l oving memory
Thomas Adams
Officer Thomas Adams
Garberville, Feb. 15, 2011
Officer Thomas Adams (19365) had been on
duty for a little more than six hours when the 2:15
p.m. collision occurred on Highway 101 near Piercy
in Mendocino County. He was driving northbound
on a right-hand curve in rain-soaked weather
when he veered into the southbound fast lane
and somehow spun so that his passenger side was
exposed to oncoming traffic.
A 2004 Toyota Tundra truck struck his passenger
side, coming part-way into Adams’ CHP cruiser. The
force of the impact caused his fatal injuries, though
Adams was wearing a seatbelt.
Adams, 24, was born in San Francisco. His
parents, Bruce and Karen Adams (A8584), moved
the family to Fortuna in 2000. A dedicated football
player, Adams maintained a 3.5 GPA at Fortuna
Union High School before graduating in 2004. His
passion for the sport carried over to college, where
he continued playing at College of the Redwoods
and Humboldt State University before attending
the Academy. When Adams joined the Department
in 2008, he told his dad that he still got to play
football because every once in a while he got a
chance to tackle someone.
After graduating in January 2009, Adams was
assigned to the Oakland Area office. However, he
longed to return to the community where he grew
up, Fortuna — to serve, give back, and to be home
again. He got his wish in September 2010 when he
transferred to Garberville.
Adams’ former football coach, Mike Benbow,
says he had been recognized as a role model for
high school students and players, someone who
5
made good choices and was able to succeed. “He
was always working hard and always with a smile on
his face,” he said.
That work ethic carried on into Adams’ career;
he was described as a hardworking and enthusiastic
officer. Garberville Area Lt. Commander Adam
Jager said the day Adams died, earlier in his shift
he had helped a woman and her son. The woman
wrote Jager a letter commending Adams.
“They wrote how kind he was to them, and
about how awesome Thomas was – how he was
smiling, courteous, helpful,” he said. “He wanted to
be a CHP officer to help others.”
Adams is survived by his parents and his
brother, Sean. His mother, Karen, is a public safety
dispatcher for the CHP, assigned to the Humboldt
Communications Center.
In l oving memory
Robert J. Quirk
Officer Robert J. Quirk
Red Bluff, April 11, 1971
Officer Robert J. Quirk (1711) was a native of
Chicago, Ill., a decorated World War II veteran and a
lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. He graduated from the
Academy in September 1955 and spent the next 16 years
building a reputation as a hard-working, dedicated and
“by the book” officer.
April 10, 1971, began for Quirk like so many other
days working the Red Bluff Area. He woke up early and
got ready for his 0700 shift. He skipped breakfast but
promised his wife, Patricia, he would come by later that
morning to eat. He did not return for breakfast. She did
not see him again until after his shift had ended.
It was late afternoon when he stepped through the
door of his home. He was pale with a white line encircling his lips. Quirk told his wife he was feeling weak and
tired, and then he told her of his day.
Sometime during the early afternoon he encountered
three suspicious pedestrians on state Route 36. Quirk
attempted to contact the pedestrians, but they fled. He
gave pursuit, jumping over a freeway fence before corralling all three
suspects and walking them back to
where his patrol
car was parked.
Before his initial
contact with the
pedestrians, Quirk
had placed a call
out to fellow
officer, friend and
neighbor, Henry
Tabor (3940), to
assist in issuing
citations. By the
time Quirk walked
the suspects to his
patrol car Tabor
was waiting for
6
him and ready to help. Tabor took notice of the sweat
dripping off of Quirk, and also noticed he was pale
and out of breath. But his apparent exhaustion did not
prevent Quirk from completing his responsibilities that
afternoon.
After the citations were written and the situation
handled, Quirk admitted that he could use something to
drink. Both officers went to Denny’s Restaurant where
Quirk downed several glasses of water before his waitress
brought him a Sanka coffee.
That evening at home Quirk was still not himself, feeling weak and tired he went to bed early. By midnight
he was too sick to sleep, although he believed it was just
the ulcers that had plagued him for months. When his
wife checked on him, later that hour, it was apparent to
her that it was something far more serious than an ulcer.
With the help of their oldest son she rushed him to St.
Elizabeth Hospital in Red Bluff. By the time he arrived
he was in cardiac arrest. He did not regain consciousness,
passing away at 0300, April 11, 1971.
Move forward 40 years to April 2011, the CHP
receives a letter from Sgt. Kenneth Quirk (Storey
County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada), Quirk’s youngest
son, requesting the Department review the circumstances
of his father’s death. After review of the incident, the
Department determined that Quirk’s death was indeed a
Fallen Heroes
Officer Howard Garlinger
Kern, Oct. 30, 1929
Officer Howard Garlinger, 31, was
on the evening shift patrolling in East
Bakersfield when a motorist made a
turn in front of the officer as he was
approaching an intersection. Garlinger
struck the vehicle broadside and was
flung from his motorcycle, sustaining fatal head injuries. He had previously served four years with the Kern
County Traffic Squad prior to the squad being absorbed
into the CHP in 1929.
Officer Edgar J. Combs
Officer J. W. Shuman
Kern, March 1, 1932
Officer J. W. Shuman accidentally
shot and fatally wounded himself as
he was repairing his service revolver
in a room used as an armory in
the CHP office. Shuman evidently
believed he had taken out all of the
cartridges from his revolver when he began inspecting
the action of the pistol. Investigators found the partially
dismantled revolver, pistol cleaning implements, a screwdriver and five cartridges lying on a low counter. The
36-year-old officer died two hours later without regaining consciousness.
Kern, Sept. 9, 1930
Officer Edgar J. Combs was near the
end of his shift patrolling at midnight
along the Famosa Highway north of
Bakersfield, when the front tire of his
motorcycle blew out as he was crossing railroad tracks. The motorcycle
turned over and the 33-year-old officer was hurled 70
feet and killed instantly.
Officer Elber D. Warren
Alameda, Jan. 24, 1931
Officer Elber D. Warren was on
routine patrol when his motorcycle
collided with a vehicle. Warren was
thrown to the pavement and died
from his injuries.
Sgt. Burt Reeves
Marin, Sept. 22, 1931
Sgt. Burt Reeves was patrolling in
heavy Sunday traffic when his motorcycle was forced off a Marin County
highway and he was thrown to the
ground. Reeves was rushed to the
hospital but succumbed to his injuries
four days later. He had been an officer for six years and
served as acting commander of the Marin Squad during
the absence of the captain. Reeves was also a World War
I veteran.
7
Officer Edwin B. Crook
Los Angeles, July 8, 1932
Officer Edwin B. Crook was pursuing a
speeding motorist late at night through
Venice when his motorcycle was struck
by an oncoming vehicle. Crook was
thrown from his motorcycle and killed
instantly. He had been a CHP officer for
only eight days.
Officer A. Edward Hinck
San Diego, Aug. 14, 1932
Officer A. Edward Hinck was patrolling in National City early Saturday
morning when a motorist made a lefthand turn in front of Hinck’s motorcycle. Hinck was unable to stop and
crashed into the vehicle. The impact of
the collision killed the 30-year-old patrol officer instantly.
Officer Floyd A. Russell
Los Angeles, Jan. 15, 1933
Officer Floyd A. Russell, 35, was
chasing a speeder on Pomona Valley
Boulevard when he was struck by a
vehicle that turned in his path without
signaling. Russell was thrown from his
motorcycle and died a few hours later.
Reckless driving charges were filed against the motorist.
Officer Thomas C. Bisset
Butte, Jan. 26, 1933
Officer Thomas C. Bisset was patrolling on his regular beat in Chico when
he suffered a paralyzing stroke. Bisset’s
condition improved and he appeared
close to recovery when a second stroke
took his life. Bisset was 42 years old
and before joining the CHP had been a peace officer in
Gridley.
Officer Steven S. Kent
Siskiyou, March 10, 1933
Officer Steven S. Kent, 41, was assisting in the pursuit of a suspect sought
in three states for bank robbery
and kidnapping. Kent stopped the
suspect vehicle in Yreka, but as he
approached, the suspect opened fire,
killing him instantly. The killer was captured, stood trial,
and convicted of murder. He was sentenced to death and
executed at Folsom Prison in 1936.
Officer Ted Davis
Los Angeles, March 11, 1933
Officer Ted Davis, 37, was carrying
out the emergency assignment of
escorting doctors and nurses through
rubble-strewn streets following the
1933 Long Beach earthquake. Davis’
motorcycle struck a hole in the pavement that had been damaged by the quake, throwing him
to the ground and killing him instantly.
Officer John A. Daroux
Sacramento, March 12, 1933
Officer John A. Daroux was struck by
a vehicle that was closely following
the officer along Auburn Boulevard in
Sacramento. Apparently the brakes on
Daroux’s motorcycle locked abruptly
and the vehicle behind him was
unable to slow and avoid striking the motorcycle. The
36-year-old officer was rushed to the hospital but died
two days later without regaining consciousness. Daroux
had served as a sergeant in the Army Air Service in
France during World War I.
8
Officer Jack E. Marks
San Bernardino, April 11, 1933
Officer Jack E. Marks was patrolling
on his motorcycle in tandem with
Officer Frank Freeman along Foothill
Boulevard in Cucamonga. Marks’ wind
visor apparently became interlocked
with the handlebars on Freeman’s
motorcycle and the accidental contact caused both officers to be thrown to the ground. Freeman suffered collar
and shoulder injuries, but Marks died before he reached
the hospital. Marks, 34, had been a police officer with the
city of Colton in 1921 and with the county motor patrol
squad. He was made a CHP officer in 1929 when the
county squad merged with the Department.
Officer Oscar D. McMurry
San Bernardino, March 5, 1934
Officer Oscar D. McMurry, 29, was
responding to the scene of a collision
at 2:30 a.m. when the headlight of his
motorcycle suddenly went out. In the
darkness, McMurry lost control and
struck a sign post while traveling at
more than 65 mph. McMurry sustained serious injuries
to his chest and stomach, requiring months of treatment
including two major operations. He died from complications following the second operation. McMurry joined
the patrol Feb. 9, 1931, when the CHP was established in
Inyo County.
Officer Francis J. Perry
Sacramento, July 7, 1934
Officer Francis J. Perry was flung into
a tree after both tires of his motorcycle blew out while he was patrolling
along Fair Oaks Boulevard near the
H Street Bridge in Sacramento. The
28-year-old officer had been a member of the CHP for three years.
Officer Hugh C. Cline
Los Angeles, Aug. 26, 1934
Officer Hugh C. Cline was patrolling
at night along the Roosevelt Highway
just north of Santa Monica Boulevard
when he collided with a vehicle. Cline,
43, was thrown from his motorcycle,
sustained critical injuries, and died the
following day.
Officer A. Donald Hoover
Santa Cruz, Aug. 31, 1934
Officer A. Donald Hoover was
traveling along the Santa CruzWatsonville Highway, on a stretch
known to locals as “Slaughterhouse
Curve,” when his motorcycle collided
with a vehicle, driven by a person
driving under the influence of alcohol, pulled out from
a side road and turned in front of the officer. Hoover,
31, sustained critical injuries and died without regaining
consciousness. Hoover was a distant relative of Herbert
Hoover, the former President of the United States.
Officer William R. McDaniel
Butte, Oct. 6, 1934
Officer William R. McDaniel, 36,
was shot and killed by an ex-convict
while he was investigating the scene
of a wrecked vehicle which had
earlier been driven and abandoned
by the killer. McDaniel had intended
to impound the car and was accompanied by a garage
mechanic, Kenneth Davis, 29, when both were accosted
by the ex-convict. Davis was shot and killed instantly.
McDaniel returned fire, wounding the assailant, but was
fatally shot. The killer fled, but was shot and killed by a
sheriff’s posse.
Officer Edward L. Bond
Sacramento, April 14, 1935
Officer Edward L. Bond was patrolling
along a levee road in Sacramento
County when his motorcycle skidded
as he was rounding a curve. Bond
lost control and was hurled over the
embankment. The 38-year-old officer
had served with the patrol four years.
9
Officer Ivan Casselman
Woodland, Aug. 24, 1935
Officer Ivan Casselman was killed
when his patrol motorcycle crashed
into the back of a truck near Davis
in Yolo County. Witnesses said
Casselman was thrown 15 feet off the
roadway after striking the rear of a
truck he was attempting to pass. The 33-year-old officer
died hours later from his injuries. Casselman was a sevenyear member of the Yolo County Squad.
Officer Charles H. Nissen
Contra Costa, Dec. 17, 1935
Officer Charles H. Nissen was
pursuing a traffic violator when a
vehicle ahead of him slowed for a
turn. Nissen applied his brakes to
reduce his speed, but his motorcycle
struck the rear of the vehicle and
skidded. The officer was thrown to the pavement and
died at the scene.
Officer Earle M. Ames
Stanislaus, Dec. 11, 1936
Officer Earl M. Ames was returning
to the CHP Stanislaus office after a
special duty assignment in Oakland.
Ames was traveling late in the evening
through very heavy fog when his
motorcycle collided with a city bus.
The bus was reportedly almost invisible in the fog
because of its newly installed vapor lights. Ames was
thrown from his motorcycle and killed.
Sgt. Richard H. Trembath
Bay Bridge, Dec. 4, 1937
Sgt. Richard H. Trembath was
returning to his home in Berkeley after
two weeks of training at the Academy
in Sacramento when his motorcycle
collided head-on with a vehicle in the
middle lane of a three-lane highway
near the Carquinez Bridge. Trembath, 34, was killed
on what was to have been his last day as a motorcycle
officer. He had recently been promoted to sergeant and
was to have been transferred to patrol car duty the next
day.
Community
Tributes
Many sections
of Caliifornia’s
roadways are
named in honor
of fallen
cers.
Photos clockwise;
Megan Benavides,
daughter Madeline,
Senator Anderson,
Commissioner J. A.
Farrow (9486) and
Tim Lepper (12384),
attend the unveiling of
the memorial highway
for Pilot Officer
Dan Benavides. The
dedication was at
Rainbow Commercial
Vehicle Enforcement Facility in September 2011.
offi-
her
Capt.
sign
sign
the
Officer Michael Kraemer (15274) places flowers on Officer Andrew Stevens Memorial Highway
sign just outside of Woodland.
On Dec. 22, 2011, members of the Woodland Area office placed flowers on the memorial
highway signs located on Interstate 80 near the Yolo Causeway in memory of Officers William Freeman,
and Roy P. Blecher. Both officers were shot and killed 33 years ago, on Dec. 22, 1978.
Pictured L-R; Officer Raul Reyna (16632), Officer Cindy Leal (14897), and Sgt. Brent Shultz (12881).
March 15, 2011, marked the 10th anniversary of the day Sgt. Gary Wagers died in a crash on the
northbound state Route 113 transition ramp to northbound Interstate 5 in Woodland. Pictured L-R;
Officer Willie Hernandez (15353), Sgt. Andy Hill (12429), Woodland Area Capt. Dale Cannon (11879), Officer Cindy Leal (14897), and Officer Pedro Leon (12874).
10
Sgt. E. R. “Ed” Carr
Fresno, Jan. 27, 1938
Sgt. E. R. “Ed” Carr, 57, was
investigating a stalled vehicle on the
Golden State Highway Pass near
Fresno when he was struck and killed
by a passing vehicle. The 17-year-old
driver of the vehicle claimed he did
not see Carr as he walked toward the stalled vehicle,
although investigating officers found a lighted flashlight
in the officer’s hand. Carr was a 12-year CHP veteran
and had just been promoted to the rank of sergeant the
day before he was killed.
Officer Leonard L. Nelson
Los Angeles, May 18, 1938
Officer Leonard L. Nelson and his
partner, Officer L. L. Jordan, were
working the graveyard shift in Artesia
when they stopped a suspected
drunk driver at 2:30 a.m. Nelson was
administering the sobriety test to the
suspect when a vehicle driven by a second drunk driver
crashed into the pair. Both the 30-year-old patrol officer
and the driver he had been testing were killed.
Capt. E. L. Shryver
Sonoma, July 10, 1938
Capt. E. L. Shryver was directing
traffic on U.S. Highway 101 in
Sonoma County when he was struck
by a vehicle and thrown under the
trailer it was pulling. Shryver, 46,
battled his injuries for two months
before he died. A veteran motorcycle officer with 13
years experience, he had recently qualified as district
inspector and was first on the promotional list. Shryver
was also an expert pistol shot and represented the CHP
at several national pistol competitions.
Officer Fred J. Kowolowski
San Benito, Dec. 26, 1938
Officer Fred J. Kowolowski was
rounding a sharp bend on a rural
road in Santa Clara County when his
motorcycle collided with a vehicle.
The 17-year-old driver of the other
vehicle said he had turned from a
side road and, seeing the motorcycle coming, stopped.
The 29-year-old patrol officer died only hours later.
Kowolowski was a former deputy sheriff in Modoc
County before he joined the patrol in 1937.
Officer Joseph B. Mathews
Napa, Aug. 10, 1939
Officer Joseph B. Mathews was called
out to break up a fight between two
men at a resort outside the city of
Napa. After arresting the two suspects
and booking them in the county jail,
Mathews returned to the CHP office
where he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. The 32-yearold patrol officer was a native of Napa and had been a
member of the CHP for nine years.
Officer Ernest R. Nelson
Monterey, Aug. 29, 1939
Officer Ernest R. Nelson was
patrolling on his motorcycle south of
Salinas when a pick-up truck made a
left turn and crossed the road directly
in front of him. Nelson attempted
to swerve and avoid the crash, but
skidded directly into the side of the truck and was killed.
The driver was arrested for negligent homicide. Nelson,
43, joined the patrol in 1935 and was previously assigned
to the Academy before he transferred to Salinas.
Officer Samuel G. Cope
Officer Samuel G. Cope was patrolling
near the city limits of West Covina
when a vehicle swung into his line
of traffic and crashed head-on into
his motorcycle. Initially, his injuries
were believed to be non-threatening
but complications developed and he died. Cope was a
member of the Los Angeles Police Department before
joining the CHP in 1935.
11
Officer William F. Malin
Officer William F. Malin was returning
to his beat, a two-lane highway near
Los Angeles, after serving on a CHP
motorcycle escort team during a parade
celebrating Independence Day.
A speeding motorist cutting through
traffic crushed Malin against a walled section of the
highway. He had been a member of the patrol for six years.
Officer Maurice W. Owen
San Joaquin, Sept. 22, 1940
Officer Maurice W. Owen, 42, was
responding to a call when a car turned
in front of his motorcycle. He was
thrown over the vehicle’s hood, sliding
20 feet on his back and sustaining
lacerations and internal injuries. Before
seeking medical treatment he handed the driver a ticket
for reckless driving. A month later, he was again injured
when he slid his motorcycle to avoid colliding with a car.
Owen insisted on returning to work after each incident,
but after several weeks of intense suffering, checked into
a hospital where he died from a blood clot formed as
a result of internal injuries. He joined the San Joaquin
County Motor Patrol in 1927 and the CHP in 1929.
Officer M. Paul Mengedoth
Bay Bridge, Feb. 7, 1941
Officer M. Paul Mengedoth was on
routine patrol riding his motorcycle
through the tunnel of the San
Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge when
a vehicle crossed the center divider
directly into his path and struck his
motorcycle head-on. Mengedoth, 30, was killed instantly.
Officer Leslie Lauterwasser
Bay Bridge, June 27, 1941
Officer Leslie Lauterwasser, 30, was
patrolling at midnight near Tiburon
on the approach to the Golden
Gate Bridge when a vehicle he was
following abruptly made a U-turn.
Lauterwasser’s motorcycle crashed
broadside into the vehicle killing him instantly. The
driver was jailed and charged with drunk driving and
negligent homicide.
12
Officer Robert C. Heller
Officer Robert C. Heller was struck
and killed when a motorist failed to
stop at an intersection and collided
with his motorcycle. The driver of
the vehicle was booked on suspicion
of negligent homicide. The 25-year
old officer had graduated from the Academy only five
months earlier.
Officer Scott E. Leatherman
Officer Scott E. Leatherman was
pursuing a speeding motorist on
a road near Newhall when the
wheel of his motorcycle apparently
developed a high-speed wobble causing
Leatherman to lose control and crash.
The 29-year-old officer had been a member of the CHP
for only one year.
Officer Eliot O. Daley
Contra Costa, May 17, 1942
Officer Eliot O. Daley, 26, was killed
only three weeks after graduating
from the Academy. Daley, on his first
duty assignment with partner, Officer
Clarence Miller, was patrolling a fourlane highway near the Carquinez
Bridge when a vehicle swerved diagonally across the
double center line into the path of the patrol car. The
force of the crash was such that the patrol car rolled
over and collided with a third vehicle, killing Daley and
seriously injuring Miller. The investigation determined
that the driver at fault was under the influence.
Sgt. Emmett L. Elmore
Stanislaus, July 18, 1942
Sgt. Emmett L. Elmore, a veteran of
23 years of police and traffic officer
service, received his promotion to
sergeant less than one year before
his death. Elmore, 62, had joined the
Stanislaus County Traffic Squad in
1925 and became a CHP officer when the CHP absorbed
the county units in 1929.
Officer Clinton Benjamin
Bay Bridge, Aug. 10, 1942
Officer Clinton Benjamin was on
routine patrol when his motorcycle
skidded, causing the officer to lose
control. Benjamin was thrown to the
ground and died from his injuries.
Officer Joseph A. Stucker
Officer Joseph A. Stucker was
performing a vital war-time duty
escorting a military convoy when his
motorcycle was sideswiped by a truck
that was attempting to pass. Stucker
died at the scene. The 31-year-old
officer had been a member of the CHP for six years.
Officer Walter C. Maxey
Los Angeles, Feb. 2, 1943
Officer Walter C. Maxey was making
a left turn off U.S. Highway 6 near
Newhall when his motorcycle
kickstand dropped, dug into the
pavement, and sent the motorcycle
into a sharp spin. Maxey was thrown
violently to the ground and sustained fatal injuries. He
had been a member of the CHP for seven years.
Officer Frederick F. Wales
Santa Barbara, Feb. 7, 1943
Officer Frederick F. Wales was in
pursuit of a speeding motorist on
Highway 101 south of Los Alamos
when he was thrown headfirst from his
motorcycle and sustained fatal injuries.
The motorcycle remained upright
and pushed his body for several feet along the pavement
before toppling over. Another officer who witnessed the
fall believed the spill was caused by a mechanical fault
since Wales was an experienced rider. The 33-year-old
officer had transferred from Los Angeles just one week
earlier.
13
Sgt. George E. Ellis Jr.
Sacramento, April 21, 1943
Sgt. George E. Ellis Jr. was killed by a
reckless driver who ran a stop sign and
crashed into the side of Ellis’ patrol
unit. The patrol car was struck with
such force that it was knocked 148
feet and rolled twice from the point
of impact. A Sacramento County grand jury indicted the
driver on charges of negligent homicide.
Officer Nelson S. Dwelly
Contra Costa , July 10, 1943
Officer Nelson S. Dwelly was
patrolling with Officer J. C. Glass
when Glass saw the rear wheel of
Dwelly’s motorcycle start to wobble.
The motorcycle turned over several
times with Dwelly still in the seat.
Dwelly died of the injuries sustained. The 37-year-old
patrol officer had been a member of the CHP for less
than one year.
Officer Forrest C. Gerken
San Mateo, Feb. 15, 1944
Officer Forrest C. Gerken was
on motorcycle patrol nearing the
intersection of Oak Grove Avenue and
the Bayshore Highway when the driver
of a pickup truck turned across the
corner of an intersection and crashed
head-on into the officer. He was killed instantly. Gerken
had entered the patrol in 1942 and died just two days
before his 46th birthday. He served on the Bay Bridge
prior to transferring to San Mateo. Gerken’s son is retired
CHP Officer Cliff Gerken (3778).
Sgt. Forest M. Underwood
Los Angeles, March 9, 1944
Sgt. Forest M. Underwood, 42,
was shot and killed by a criminal
wanted for kidnapping and robbery.
Underwood was writing a parking
citation when a taxi abruptly pulled
alongside. The driver jumped out,
shouting excitedly that a robber was inside his cab. The
suspect immediately opened fire, felling Underwood with
two shots. Though mortally wounded, the patrol officer
returned fire but his shots missed his assailant. While he
lay dying, Underwood noted the license number of the
getaway car and a description of the murderer at the
bottom of the parking citation he had been writing.
Officer John A. Reed
Officer John A. Reed had activated
his red light and siren during a pursuit
of a speeding vehicle when suddenly
he collided with a vehicle that turned
left in front of his motorcycle. Reed
was critically injured and died the
following day. The 35-year-old patrol officer had joined
the CHP in 1941 after prior service as a state police
officer in Sacramento.
Officer Lewis W. Gregg
San Diego, Nov. 4, 1944
Officer Lewis W. Gregg collided with
a vehicle that turned suddenly in front
of the motorcycle officer without
signaling. Gregg was killed almost
instantly. The 40-year-old patrol officer
had joined the CHP two years earlier
after previously working as a clerk in the Traffic Court in
the city of San Diego.
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Officer George A. Humburg Jr.
San Jose, Nov. 29, 1944
Officer George A. Humburg Jr. and
a fellow officer were attempting to
arrest a drunken driver when the
belligerent suspect scuffled with
Humburg. After making the arrest,
Humburg complained of feeling ill
and collapsed while being sped to a hospital. He suffered
a heart attack and died before reaching the hospital.
Officer Humburg was a 14-year member of the CHP.
Officer David R. Henderson
Los Angeles, Dec. 7, 1944
Officer David R. Henderson was killed
when his motorcycle collided with
a vehicle that pulled into his lane of
traffic after deliberately passing a bus
that had stopped to load and unload
passengers. Henderson, 33, joined the
CHP in 1942 after serving two years with the Burbank
Police Department. He had also previously served as a
Deputy Fish and Game Warden with the County of Los
Angeles.
Officer Raymond H. Berry
Santa Clara, April 8, 1945
Officer Raymond H. Berry, 50, was
concluding his shift when he suffered
a fatal cerebral hemorrhage. Berry, a
16-year CHP veteran, had previously
served with the San Jose Police
Department and had been a member
of the Santa Clara County Squad before it was absorbed
by the CHP in 1929.
Officer Norman A. Kessler
Visalia, May 17, 1945
Officer Norman A. Kessler was
pursuing a traffic violator when his
motorcycle developed a high-speed
wobble after striking a rough spot in
the highway pavement. Kessler lost
control and skidded 200 feet before
crashing. The 36-year-old patrol officer was killed almost
instantly. Kessler had served in Tulare County since
graduating from the CHP Academy in 1942.
Motor Officers from the Butte County Squad lead the funeral procession for Officer William
R. McDaniel who was killed in 1934 (above).
Fellow officers carry McDaniel’s flag-draped casket (below).
15
Officer James B. Dalziel
Bay Bridge, June 30, 1945
Officer James B. Dalziel was returning
from duty on the San FranciscoOakland Bay Bridge shortly after
midnight when a vehicle drove
directly in front of his motorcycle.
The collision killed the officer
instantly. Dalziel was a 28-year
veteran of law enforcement service that began in 1917
with the San Mateo County Motor Patrol and continued
uninterrupted when the county unit merged with the
CHP. The 55-year-old officer had served on the Bay
Bridge since 1941.
Officer James H. VandeWeg
Ventura, July 12, 1945
Officer James H. VandeWeg was
responding to an emergency call
when a truck pulled directly in his
path. VandeWeg was unable to stop
and his motorcycle crashed into the
truck. The 33-year-old officer suffered
critical injuries and died just hours later. VandeWeg had
previously served with the Redondo Beach and Burbank
police departments before joining the CHP in 1943.
Officer Harold E. Nichols
Kern, Sept. 12, 1945
Officer Harold E. Nichols’ motorcycle
skidded and crashed when it ran across
a slippery area of the road. Nichols
was killed instantly. The 42-year-old
officer had served continuously in
Kern County since joining the CHP in
1930. The 15-year CHP veteran held numerous medals
for expert marksmanship.
Officer Loren C. Roosevelt
Los Angeles, June 5, 1946
Officer Loren C. Roosevelt was on Los
Feliz Boulevard enroute to his home
in Glendale when he observed a man
behaving suspiciously and called him
over to his patrol car. The suspect
complied, but pulled a revolver and
shot the officer nine times at close range. Although
mortally wounded, Roosevelt gave investigating officers
16
a detailed description of the gunman before he died. He
had been a officer since 1943. Officer Roosevelt’s killer
was captured, convicted and sentenced to death.
Officer Frank J. Maus
Officer Frank J. Maus, 35, was pursuing
a speeder on Stocker Avenue and
while rounding a curve, his motorcycle
hit the soft shoulder and overturned
several times throwing him to the
ground. Maus was a five-year member
of the CHP and had recently returned to duty after
spending three years with the U.S. Navy in the South
Pacific during World War II.
Officer Stephen W. Sodel
Los Angeles, Sept. 17, 1946
Officer Stephen W. Sodel, 48, was
kidnapped and murdered by a
motorist he had apparently stopped
for suspicion of car theft. Sodel was
assigned to check light and brake
testing stations, and when his patrol
car was found abandoned, an intense search ensued
which led a few days later to the discovery of Sodel’s
body. A suspect was later captured, tried, and convicted
for the murder of Sodel.
Officer Richard L. Simpson
Tulare, Sept. 25, 1946
Officer Richard L. Simpson, 30,
was responding to the scene of a
vehicle collision in Porterville when a
motorist turned in front of the officer
and struck his motorcycle broadside.
The impact flung the officer to the
ground, killing him almost instantly. The driver was
jailed and booked for manslaughter. Simpson, a World
War II veteran, had recently returned to duty with the
Department after three years of service in the U.S. Army.
Officer William L. Reardon
Los Angeles, Oct. 20, 1946
Officer William L. Reardon had
stopped on his motorcycle monitoring
traffic on U.S. Highway 99 near
Newhall when he was struck and
killed by a drunk driver. Reardon, 52,
was a 14-year veteran of the CHP.
He had previously served with the Glendale Police
Department and the Los Angeles County Traffic Squad
before becoming a member of the CHP in 1932 when
the state absorbed the Los Angeles squad.
Officer John R. Walters
Kern, Nov. 18, 1947
Officer John R. Walters was pursuing
a vehicle at high speed on U.S.
Highway 99 south of Bakersfield when
a motorist headed in the opposite
direction crossed three lanes of traffic
and crashed head-on into Walter’s
motorcycle. The 36-year-old officer was killed instantly.
A charge of manslaughter was brought against the other
driver.
Officer Alvin L. Foss
Bay Bridge, April 26, 1950
Officer Alvin L. Foss, 23, was
preparing to go on duty when his
revolver fell from its holster, struck the
concrete floor, and discharged a round
that struck the officer in the head. The
weapon apparently fell on the back of
the handle, jarring the firing pin firmly enough to trigger
the fatal bullet. Foss joined the CHP a year earlier and
had recently transferred to duty on the San FranciscoOakland Bay Bridge from Los Angeles.
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Cadet J. Harold Hanson
Academy, Aug. 19, 1951
Cadet J. Harold Hanson was
negotiating a curve during a
motorcycle training exercise when an
oncoming motorist, driving close to
the center divider, caused the cadet
to veer away sharply and lose control.
Hanson’s motorcycle skidded in loose gravel and the
36-year-old was thrown to the ground. Hanson, a former
city of Pomona policeman, like all cadets in that era,
was sworn in when he reported for training. After 1977
recruits were classified as “state traffic officer cadets” for
training purposes and did not become sworn officers until
Academy graduation.
Officer William C. Foote
Bakersfield, June 23, 1952
Officer William C. Foote, 33, was
returning from a special traffic control
assignment at the Salinas Rodeo when
his motorcycle crashed head-on into
another vehicle. Officers traveling with
Foote believed a tire blow-out or a
crack in the pavement caused the officer to lose control
and swerve into the path of the oncoming car. Foote,
who joined the CHP in 1948, recently returned to the
patrol after a stint as a U.S. Marine Corps Reservist in the
Korean War.
Officer Ralph A. Vargas
San Jose, Sept. 30, 1952
Officer Ralph A. Vargas was patrolling
in a residential area when his
motorcycle collided with a vehicle
that had abruptly made a left turn in
front of him. Vargas had no time to
apply his brakes and crashed into the
vehicle. The 26-year-old officer died six hours after the
collision. Vargas had joined the patrol more than two
years earlier.
Officer John W. Armatoski
Barstow, May 1, 1953
Officer John W. Armatoski was on an
enforcement stop eastbound on U.S.
Highway 66 west of Needles. After
he completed the traffic citation,
Armatoski was approaching the
violator’s car on the left side when
an intoxicated motorist, driving a stolen station wagon,
sideswiped the parked vehicle and struck Armatoski. The
patrol officer was killed instantly. Armatoski had been a
member of the CHP for five years.
Officer Frank M. Epperson
Indio, July 2, 1954
Officer Frank M. Epperson was
attempting to overtake two speeding
vehicles by passing a pick-up when
the truck suddenly started a left turn
in front of the patrol car. Epperson
tried to avoid the collision, but the
two vehicles collided. The patrol car rolled several times
before striking a power pole and slamming into irrigation
equipment. The 40-year-old officer was ejected and died
at the scene. Epperson had joined the CHP in 1948, but
his duty was interrupted by service in the Korean War.
He returned to the patrol in 1952.
Officer William M. Chansler
Yreka, Aug. 27, 1954
Officer William M. Chansler, 32, was off
duty when he responded to a call that
an armed suspect had shot a waitress
and was holding hostages in a Yreka
restaurant. When Chansler arrived he
ordered the suspect to drop his weapon.
Instead, the felon swung the barrel of his rifle toward
the officer and fired three shots. Chansler fell mortally
wounded but returned fire and killed his assailant with
one shot. He had been a CHP officer for five years and had
recently transferred to Yreka from Ventura. Chansler was
posthumously presented with a Certificate of Valor for
heroism by Gov. Goodwin J. Knight on Oct. 15, 1954.
18
Officer John C. La Mar
Bakersfield, Dec. 10, 1954
Officer John C. La Mar was checking
a vehicle hooked to a tow truck
parked along U.S. Highway 99 near
Bakersfield. He had set out flares to
warn oncoming cars and was standing
between the tow truck and the
damaged vehicle when a speeding motorist ran through
the flares, plowed into the rear of the damaged car and
fatally injured La Mar. The 30-year-old officer was a
former member of the Tulare Police Department and had
served only two months with the CHP.
Officer James E. Maroney
Susanville, May 27, 1955
Officer James E. Maroney responded
to a call for assistance dispatched
by the Modoc County Sheriff’s
Department in apprehending an
armed suspect. As officers closed in,
the suspect opened fire and Maroney
was killed during the ensuing gun battle. The 33-year-old
officer had transferred from Fresno two months earlier.
Officer Charles D. Goss (1307)
Madera, Nov. 25, 1955
Officer Charles D. Goss had just
completed his investigation of a fivecar collision. As he left the scene, his
patrol car was struck head-on by a
vehicle attempting to pass a truck.
Goss was killed instantly. The 39-yearold officer was a 1952 graduate of the CHP Academy,
and the Madera Area was his first assignment. Charges
were filed against the driver for attempting to pass the
truck without sufficient clearance.
Officer George A. Woodson
(1542) Norwalk, Dec. 23, 1955
Officer George A. Woodson was
pursuing a speeding vehicle when his
motorcycle skidded on rain-slicked
pavement and crashed. A motorist
found Woodson lying next to his
motorcycle beside a chain-link fence
that bordered the Santa Ana Freeway. The 32-year-old
patrol officer was rushed to the hospital but died without
regaining consciousness.
Officer Edward A. Frey
Sacramento, July 2, 1956
Officer Edward A. Frey was pursuing
a speeder when the vehicle in front
of him slowed to make a left turn.
Frey was unable to stop, and his
motorcycle struck the vehicle ahead
before glancing off into the path of an
oncoming car. The 38-year-old patrol officer sustained
critical internal injuries and died 10 days later.
Officer Raymond A. Geiger
(1714) Riverside, Aug. 10, 1956
Officer Raymond A. Geiger had
recently left his home to report for
graveyard shift when his motorcycle
collided head-on with a vehicle that
was passing on a hill. Geiger, 28,
died instantly from the impact. The
collision happened so close to Geiger’s home that his
wife, who heard the commotion, walked to the scene
thinking her husband was handling the investigation. She
was intercepted by another officer who was attempting
to spare her the sight of the smashed motorcycle that
belonged to her husband.
Officer Charles T. Smith Jr.
(1359) Willows, Sept. 9, 1956
Officer Charles T. Smith Jr. stopped a
vehicle for speeding on U.S. Highway
99 near Orland. Something suspicious
apparently alerted him, and he decided
to investigate further. He was unaware
that the vehicle’s two occupants were
AWOL Marines who had stolen the vehicle and been
on a crime spree. As Smith frisked one man, the other
opened fire from behind hitting him three times in the
back. Although mortally wounded, the officer managed
to struggle to his feet and kill both suspects. Ironically,
Smith himself had been a Marine Military Policeman
before he joined the patrol four years earlier.
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Officer Elza P. Fitzpatrick Jr.
(978) Norwalk, Dec. 6, 1956
Officer Elza P. Fitzpatrick Jr. spotted
an abandoned vehicle wanted in
connection with an armed robbery,
called in his report, and requested
assistance. Fitzpatrick was continuing
his investigation of the unoccupied
vehicle when the vehicle’s driver returned in a taxi. As
the patrol officer was questioning the suspect, the man
reached for a revolver. Fitzpatrick grabbed the suspect
but was fatally wounded in the struggle. Two deputies
arrived on the scene and shot the suspect. The 45-yearold officer had served eight years with the patrol. Prior to
joining the CHP he had been chief of police for the city
of Tulelake and served six years as a deputy sheriff in Los
Angeles.
Officer Carl H. Jessing
Norwalk, Jan. 9, 1957
Officer Carl H. Jessing was pursuing a
speeding motorist along the Imperial
Highway when he collided with a car
that crossed in front of his motorcycle
at Firestone Boulevard. Jessing was
thrown from his motorcycle and
suffered a broken leg and other injuries. Initially his
condition did not appear life-threatening, but he died the
following day from a pulmonary embolism caused by the
collision. The 39-year-old officer had been a member of
the CHP for three years.
Officer Robert E. Reed (1128)
Ventura, Oct. 8, 1957
Officer Robert E. Reed had stopped
and arrested a motorist for a traffic
violation after a high-speed pursuit
along U.S. Highway 101 near
Ventura. The suspect, who had
become combative during his arrest,
complained of an injured ankle so Reed transported him
to the hospital instead of jail. As the suspect was being
transferred from a gurney to the psychiatric ward, he
jerked Reed’s gun out of the holster and opened fire,
killing the 36-year-old patrol officer. Reed was a four-year
member of the CHP.
Officer Camile E. Madere (1615)
Anaheim, Jan. 24, 1958
Officer Camile E. Madere was
patrolling on his motorcycle through
the city of Stanton, about to overtake
and pass another vehicle. A tractor and
semi-trailer pulled out of a driveway
into the path of the officer and the
vehicle he was going to pass. Both the officer and the
motorist applied brakes in an attempt to avoid colliding
with the truck. Madere’s motorcycle skidded under the
truck killing the 35-year-old patrol officer instantly.
Officer Robert W. Suess (2244)
El Monte, Feb. 15, 1958
Officer Robert W. Suess was patrolling
on Baldwin Avenue in the city of El
Monte when a drunk driver speeding
in the opposite direction careened
through a red light, ran another car off
the road, and then abruptly swerved
over the center line and struck Suess. Witnesses said
the 28-year-old officer had no chance to avoid the crash
and was killed instantly. The driver was charged with
manslaughter and felony drunk driving. Suess had served
as a police officer with the Vallejo Police Department
before joining the patrol only nine months earlier.
Officer Joseph F. Johnston Jr.
(2251) El Monte, Oct. 12, 1958
Officer Joseph F. Johnston Jr.
was pursuing a traffic violator on
Rosemead Boulevard when the suspect
suddenly crossed two lanes of traffic
without signaling and turned left in
front of the officer. Johnston struck the
left front side of the vehicle and died shortly after. The
motorist was charged with manslaughter. Johnston, 31,
had been appointed to the patrol the previous March and
El Monte Area was his first assignment.
Officer Robert B. Heverlie
(2654) El Monte, Nov. 22, 1958
Officer Robert B. Heverlie was
patrolling on Rosemead Boulevard
when a vehicle suddenly turned
left, striking Heverlie’s motorcycle
broadside and killing the 31-year-old.
20
The motorist was charged with felony drunk driving
and manslaughter. Heverlie had joined the CHP seven
months earlier after leaving the Los Angeles Police
Department. The El Monte Area was his first CHP
assignment.
Officer Herbert F. Dimon (2739)
East Los Angeles, Feb. 7, 1959
Officer Herbert F. Dimon was
pursuing a speeding car in East Los
Angeles when his motorcycle collided
at an intersection with a motorist who
ignored or did not see the red light,
or hear the siren. Dimon was wearing
a safety helmet, but the impact killed the 28-year-old
officer instantly. He had graduated from the Academy
four months earlier. Only hours before his death, he had
received a letter from a citizen he cited a few days earlier,
stating:
“I have received citations before, but none of which
reflected so adversely on my driving habits or ability. I
assumed that I was a pretty good driver. Your genuine
concern for my safety, and the safety of others on the
freeway, and your remark you hoped you could help
me improve my driving habits, started me doing some
very serious thinking.” The citizen further declared that
he had established some driving rules for himself and
conforming to them had been a “wonderful experience.”
He concluded by saying, “I feel you will be pleased to
know that your work is not all in vain.”
Officer George E. Kallemeyn
(1718) Martinez, July 21, 1959
Officer George E. Kallemeyn had
been pursuing hot-rod cyclists along
a narrow twisting mountain trail in
Contra Costa County. Kallemeyn was
returning to the main road when a
portion of the trail gave way beneath
his motorcycle and Kallemeyn plummeted down the side
of the canyon. The patrol officer was not found until the
next day when rescuers located him pinned under his
motorcycle in the brush. Kallemeyn, 30, was immediately
rushed to the hospital but died of his injuries. He had
served four years with the CHP.
Officer Leonard W. Winney
(2004) Anaheim, Nov. 12, 1959
Officer Leonard W. Winney was
pursuing a speeding motorist on
Santa Ana Canyon Road in Orange
County when his motorcycle crashed
into a heavy gravel truck that made
a left turn across the highway. The
truck driver, according to investigators, did not see the
motorcycle, and the officer did not have time to stop.
Winney, 27, was a member of the CHP for three years
and had served two years in Anaheim Area.
Officer Richard D. Duvall (2683)
Victorville, Feb. 23, 1960
Officer Richard D. Duvall’s last radio
message was “I’m chasing a fast one.”
Duvall did not know that the motorist
on U.S. Highway 66 outside Victorville
was an escaped felon driving a stolen
car and wanted for armed robbery.
As soon as the vehicle was pulled over the ex-convict
opened fire, killing the 26-year-old officer. Duvall had
served less than two years with the patrol. His death was
instrumental in CHP Commissioner Brad Crittenden’s
decision to require that officers pair up on the graveyard
shift and parts of the evening shift.
Officer Robert D. Dale (2792)
Anaheim, March 10, 1960
Officer Robert D. Dale was patrolling
along a rural two-lane road in Orange
County. He had just passed a vehicle
and was negotiating a sharp turn when
he lost control of his motorcycle and
slid into the path of an oncoming pickup truck. Dale’s motorcycle struck the left front of the
vehicle, killing the 25-year-old patrol officer instantly. He
had served with the CHP for two years and had been
assigned to Anaheim Area since his graduation in 1958.
21
Officer William E. Pitois (2756)
San Francisco, Nov. 4, 1960
Officer William E. Pitois was pursuing
a speeder when he came upon two
slow-moving cars. As he was braking
to go between them, his motorcycle
skidded and struck the back end of
one of the vehicles causing him fatal
injuries. Pitois, 29, was a member of the CHP for two
years with previous service in the Newhall Area and on
the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
Officer Gary L. Grow (2350)
Salinas, Jan. 18, 1962
Officer Gary L. Grow was killed
when the plane he was piloting
collided with another aircraft. Grow
was flying one of two planes leased
by the patrol which was used for
aircraft observational studies over U.S.
Highway 99 and other highways. The aircraft test was a
special assignment for Grow, and he was detached from
his Area specifically for the project. Grow, 28, had been a
patrol officer for four years.
Officer Jerry E. Turre (2071)
Fresno, April 21, 1962
Officer Jerry E. Turre was investigating
a collision scene near Fresno at
2 a.m. and was laying flares when he
was struck and killed by a hit-andrun driver. The collision occurred
on a clear night, and the flares were
visible for 1/4 mile at the time of the collision, leading
investigators to conclude that the hit-and-run driver was
also under the influence. The 30-year-old officer had
been a member of the patrol for six years. Prior to joining
the CHP, Turre served with the Yreka Police Department
and in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Officer Dale M. Krings (2046)
Redwood City, May 21, 1962
Officer Dale M. Krings and his partner,
Officer Vincent Bianchini, were near
the end of their graveyard shift and
having breakfast at a coffee shop
next to San Francisco International
Airport when a restaurant patron
confronted the officers saying “Okay, gentlemen, you’ve
had it!” Without further warning he drew a rifle and
opened fire, striking Krings. Although mortally wounded,
Krings returned fire and killed the gunman. Investigation
revealed the assailant, a former mental patient, was
a regular customer at the coffee shop and had been
overheard on several occasions saying that he hated cops.
Krings, 34, had been a member of the patrol for six years.
Officer Ronald E. Davis (3152)
Barstow, Aug. 18, 1962
Officer Ronald E. Davis was
attempting to pass two vehicles while
responding to a collision call on U.S.
Highway 91 east of Barstow. One of
the drivers, apparently unaware of the
siren or red light, pulled out in front
of the patrol car. Davis turned to avoid a collision but
went into a broadside skid, rolling the patrol car several
times. A passing motorist found the 28-year-old officer
still strapped in his seat. He died instantly. Barstow
was Davis’ first assignment since graduating from the
Academy less than a year earlier.
Officer Charles H. Sorenson
(2341) Sacramento, March 15, 1963
Officer Charles H. Sorenson had just
received a radio call about a robbery
in Lodi when he spotted the suspect
vehicle, whipped his patrol car into
a U-turn, and began pursuit. During
the chase, the suspect driver lost
control of his vehicle, crashed, and continued to flee on
foot. Sorenson got out of his car and followed. He was
unaware of a second suspect who had a stolen handgun
and ambushed the 32-year-old officer, killing him with
two shots fired at point-blank range. Next, the pair
commandeered the officer’s patrol car, roared down the
highway at speeds close to 130 mph, and were stopped
only when they rammed a police barricade killing a
22
sheriff’s deputy. The felons, two juveniles, were captured
and charged in the deaths of the two law enforcement
officers.
Officer Donald E. Brandon
(3294) Bakersfield, April 23, 1963
Officer Donald E. Brandon was
traveling west when another vehicle
heading north struck his patrol
vehicle broadside at an intersection
in Ridgecrest. The 30-year-old officer
was killed by the impact. Brandon had
joined the CHP in 1962 and had been a member of the
patrol for less than one year.
Officer John R. Ellis (2800)
Visalia, Nov. 5, 1963
Officer John R. Ellis and his partner,
Officer Delton S. Lawless, were
responding to collision when their
patrol unit skidded on a rain-slicked
roadway outside Visalia and crashed
into a grove of trees. Both officers were
wearing seat belts. Lawless was able to extricate himself
and his partner from the wrecked patrol car; however,
Ellis had been killed instantly. The 35-year-old patrol
officer had been a member of the CHP for five years.
Officer Glenn W. Carlson (2699)
Auburn, Nov. 15, 1963
Officer Glenn W. Carlson, on duty
in a chain-control area of the Sierra,
stopped a vehicle with three male
occupants on a speeding charge.
A license check proved negative;
however, a few minutes after the
vehicle drove off, information was radioed that the car
was stolen. Carlson pursued the suspects and stopped
the car again. One of the suspects opened fire killing the
33-year-old officer with five shots. One of the bullets
pierced the citation he had just written the suspects. The
three ex-convicts were later captured and indicted for
the murder.
Officer Merle E. DeWitt (534)
East Los Angeles, Dec. 24, 1963
Officer Merle E. DeWitt was on his
way home from holiday patrol duty
when his motorcycle collided with an
out-of-control car on the Santa Ana
Freeway. The car, driven by an airman
stationed at Edwards Air Force Base,
hit the center divider, spun out, hit another vehicle, and
then crashed into DeWitt’s motorcycle. The 50-yearold officer, the 20-year-old driver, and his 21-year-old
passenger were all killed instantly. DeWitt was a 21-year
veteran of the CHP.
Officer Ralph A. Minion
South Los Angeles, Jan. 6, 1964
Officer Ralph A. Minion was killed
when a motorist, trying to avoid rearending a slow-moving truck, swerved
over the center divider and crashed
head-on into Minion’s motorcycle.
Minion did not have a chance to
swerve or brake and was killed instantly.
Sgt. William D. Huckaby (2198)
South Los Angeles, Jan. 12, 1964
Sgt. William D. Huckaby was
attempting to save the lives of three
small children who had climbed onto
a slow-moving freight train passing
through South Los Angeles. As
Huckaby rode his motorcycle down
the railroad right-of-way to catch the train, he struck a
cable that had been stretched between two posts. The
33-year-old sergeant sustained critical injuries and died
four days later. He had been a member of the patrol for
seven years.
Officer Kenneth L. Witke (731)
West Los Angeles, Jan. 14, 1964
Officer Kenneth L. Witke was
patrolling in West Los Angeles when
a vehicle made a left turn in front
of him without signaling. Witke was
unable to brake and avoid a fatal
collision. The 50-year-old officer was
a 17-year veteran of the highway patrol with prior law
enforcement service that included a stint as a member
23
of the U.S. Army Military Police and a state policeman
assigned to the Department of Finance.
Officer Coburn B. Jewell (2940)
San Jose, Feb. 1, 1964
Officer Coburn B. Jewell had parked
his patrol car on the highway shoulder
with the amber light on. Jewell was
sitting on the passenger side of the
front seat when a motorist lost control
of his vehicle and crashed into the
parked patrol car. The motorist’s vehicle was traveling at
50 mph when it struck. The force of the impact killed
Jewell.
Officer James F. Stamback
(1831) Sacramento, March 23, 1964
Officer James F. Stamback had just
parked his patrol car behind a vehicle
he stopped because its load of lumber
was protruding beyond the legal limit.
The officer was talking to the driver
when a two-ton flatbed truck suddenly
barreled down on the scene, hitting the patrol car and
pushing it into the other vehicle. Stamback received
critical injuries from the impact and died 13 days later.
The 39-year-old officer had been a member of the CHP
for nine years.
Officer Charles O. Woodworth
(1685) Santa Rosa, Aug. 12, 1964
Officer Charles O. Woodworth was
on patrol July 27, 1964, and had just
pulled away from a stop sign when his
motorcycle was struck broadside by a
vehicle. Woodworth sustained serious
leg injuries from the impact of the
crash, but his condition did not appear life-threatening.
While recovering, Officer Woodworth suffered a fatal
embolism attributed to the collision two weeks earlier.
Officer Leonard L. Layton (3411)
Merced, Nov. 8, 1964
Officer Leonard L. Layton was enroute
to a court appearance in Ukiah when
he was killed on U.S. Highway 101.
Collision investigators reported the
patrol car went over an embankment
while rounding a curve on the rainslicked pavement. Layton, 26, had graduated from
the Academy a year earlier. His father, retired Officer
Leonard M. Layton (647), was on active duty at the time
of his son’s death.
Officer Jerrel H. Shows (3641)
East Los Angeles, Dec. 23, 1964
Officer Jerrel H. Shows responded
to a collision scene and was assisting
one of the crash victims when both
were struck by a passing car driven
by a drunk driver. Shows was killed
instantly and the collision victim he
had been assisting sustained critical injuries. The drunk
driver was uninjured. Shows, 28, had graduated from the
Academy three weeks earlier.
Officer Merrel L. Kissinger
(1134) Oceanside, Feb. 14, 1965
Officer Merrel L. Kissinger was
transporting a prisoner he arrested
for suspicion of drunk driving near
Carlsbad on U.S. Highway 101.
Kissinger was enroute to the San Diego
County Jail when his prisoner opened
fire through the wire mesh divider that confined him and
killed the 39-year-old officer while he drove the patrol
car. Kissinger died from three shots fired from a small .25
caliber handgun the prisoner concealed when searched.
The killer was captured when he failed to break out of
the patrol car after it skidded to a stop. Kissinger, a 14year veteran of the CHP, was on the promotional list for
sergeant at the time of his death. His killer was convicted
of first degree murder and received a life sentence.
24
Officer Martin J. Tripptree
(2070) Sacramento, Dec. 15, 1965
Officer Martin J. Tripptree’s
motorcycle collided with a vehicle
in Carmichael on April 22, 1964.
Tripptree underwent several operations
for head injuries, but succumbed after
a long struggle. The 41-year-old patrol
officer was a nine-year member of the CHP. Tripptree
served in the Barstow Area after graduating from the
Academy in 1956 and then transferred to Sacramento
Area in 1957.
Officer Michael S. Griffin (2416)
Sacramento, Jan. 13, 1966
Officer Michael S. Griffin was
patrolling along U.S. Highway 50 near
the Sacramento-El Dorado County
line when the wheel of his motorcycle
apparently developed a high-speed
wobble that sent the motorcycle out of
control. Griffin was thrown to the ground and died five
days later. The 33-year-old officer had served in East Los
Angeles, Norwalk, Placerville, and Sacramento during his
nine years as an officer.
Officer William C. Isaacs (2818)
San Bernardino, Aug. 25, 1966
Officer William C. Isaacs was patrolling
on his motorcycle and negotiating a
turn when he was thrown from his
motorcycle and sustained fatal injuries.
The 37-year-old officer had served
with the patrol for eight years and was
a police officer with the city of Rialto prior to joining the
Department.
Officer Franke A. Story (4238)
El Centro, July 19, 1967
Officers Franke A. Story and his
partner, Ernest H. Goff (1909), were
on the graveyard shift patrolling along
U.S. Highway 86 north of Imperial
when they stopped a truck-tractor
rig for a routine registration check.
While Goff radioed, Story stayed with the driver who
maneuvered himself into a position where he could grab
Goff’s handgun and opened fire. Story, 25, was killed
instantly. Goff, 44, was wounded but struggled with the
suspect and was able to overpower and arrest him. The
killer, who had been driving a stolen rig, and was charged
with murder and attempted murder. Story was the
nephew of retired Lt. David R. Story (1222), Redding
Area commander.
Officer Charles R. Lilly (4029)
San Jose, Oct. 29, 1967
Officer Charles R. Lilly and his
partner had just pulled over two traffic
violators. Lilly was standing at the
driver’s door of one of the stopped
vehicles when a passing car struck and
killed him. The killer of the 30-yearold patrol officer then fled but was apprehended within
minutes. Before joining the CHP in 1965, Lilly had
served with the San Francisco Police Department.
Officer Merle L. Andrews (2769)
South Los Angeles, Dec. 20, 1967
Officer Merle L. Andrews was
pursuing a stolen vehicle whose driver
was the subject of an all-pointsbulletin, sought on robbery and
kidnapping charges. Andrews stopped
the suspect, radioed for back-up, and
then approached the vehicle with his weapon drawn. The
driver opened fire, killing the 39-year-old patrol officer.
The gunman fled, but was captured a few hours later.
Andrews had been a member of the patrol for nine years.
Officer Kenneth E. Marshall
(3285) Humboldt, Jan. 9, 1968
Officer Kenneth E. Marshall was
likely pursuing a violator, investigators
later determined, when his patrol car
skidded on a rain-slicked roadway and
struck a light pole. Another patrol
officer reached the scene minutes
after the crash, but found the 31-year-old officer had
been killed instantly. Marshall graduated from the CHP
Academy in 1962 and served in the San Francisco Area
before transferring to the Humboldt Area in 1965.
25
Officer Wesley D. Johnson
(2767) Sonora, April 15, 1969
Officer Wesley D. Johnson was on
patrol when his vehicle struck a
road marker causing him to lose
control. Johnson’s patrol car hit an
embankment and rolled over several
times killing the 39-year-old. Johnson
was a 11-year veteran of the Department and had
served in Merced Area for 10 years before transferring to
Sonora.
Officer Richard G. Woods (4987)
Baldwin Park, July 16, 1969
Officer Richard G. Woods was enroute
to court to testify in a criminal case
when he encountered stop-and-go
traffic on the freeway. Woods was in
the process of changing lanes when the
traffic ahead of him came to a sudden
stop. The patrol officer’s motorcycle struck the rear of
a panel truck that stopped in front of him killing the
29-year-old officer. Woods was a member of the CHP for
nearly three years and had served in Central Los Angeles
Area before transferring to Baldwin Park Area.
Officer Robert M. Blomo (4739)
Baldwin Park , Sept. 4, 1969
Officer Robert M. Blomo was on patrol
when his motorcycle struck a tractortrailer that pulled out in front of him
at an intersection. Blomo’s motorcycle
was dragged 82 feet, slid into a curb,
and burst into flames, killing the patrol
officer. The 25-year-old officer had been a member of the
CHP for three years and assigned to Baldwin Park Area
since graduating from the Academy in 1966.
Officer Ambers O. Shewmaker
(7059) Banning, Nov. 24, 1969
Officer Ambers O. Shewmaker
was patrolling near Banning late in
the evening when he was shot by a
motorist he stopped for speeding.
Shewmaker was using his radio at the
time he was shot, and his killer was
driving a stolen car. The 28-year-old patrol officer died
the following day, and his killer was captured soon after
the shooting. Shewmaker had been a CHP officer for
nine months.
Officer William R. Court (3885)
Modesto, Feb. 13, 1970
Officer William R. Court was in pursuit
of a traffic violator when his patrol unit
skidded on rain-slicked pavement and
he lost control. Court’s patrol car left
the roadway, turned at an angle and
traveled over 175 feet, before striking
a cement bridge abutment. The 33-year-old officer was
killed almost instantly. Court had been a member of the
CHP since 1965 and served previously in San Leandro
Area before transferring to Modesto Area in 1967. When
he died, a feature article appeared in the Turlock Daily
Journal which is excerpted below:
“When he was just out of the Academy, Court slid down
a steep embankment to aid a couple who’d gone over a
cliff in their car. It was a bitterly cold night. Frost on the
roadway. Ice on the ground. Court was the first to take
off his duty jacket and cover a victim. It took four hours
to bring the injured out, but Court stayed with the job
until it was done . . . There was another incident. He
kept a young woman alive for more than an hour until a
doctor came. She’d smashed up her car. Cut her throat.
There was room in the wrecked car for only one person.
Tall, slender Bob Court crawled in. He held the woman’s
chin up. The air sucked in and out of her cut wind-pipe.
She bled, but she breathed. And she lives today.”
26
Officer Raymond R. Carpenter
(1992) Auburn, Feb. 17, 1970
Officer Raymond R. Carpenter was
shot and killed by a 20-year-old
motorist he stopped on Interstate 80.
The car the young man was driving
was stolen. Later, as officers closed in to
capture Carpenter’s killer, the suspect
committed suicide. The 40-year-old patrol officer was a
native of the Auburn Area where he had been assigned
for 13 years. Prior to joining the Department in 1956,
Carpenter had spent nine years in the U.S. Air Force.
Officer Frago
Officer Gore
Officer Pence Jr.
Officer Alleyn
Officer Walter C. Frago (6573)
Officer Roger D. Gore (6600)
Officer James E. Pence Jr. (6885)
Officer George M. Alleyn (6290)
Newhall, April 6, 1970
Officers Walter C. Frago and Roger D. Gore had been
alerted by radio of a vehicle carrying someone who had
brandished a weapon. They spotted the car, fell in behind,
called for backup and began the enforcement stop
procedure. When the subject’s vehicle had come to a halt
in a parking lot, the driver was instructed to get out and
place his spread hands on the hood. Gore approached
him and Frago moved to the passenger side. The rightside door suddenly swung open and the passenger sprung
out, firing at Frago, who fell with two shots in his chest.
The gunman, later identified as Jack Twinning, then
turned and fired once at Gore, who returned fire. In that
moment the driver, Bobby Davis, turned and shot Gore
twice at close range. Both officers died instantly; both
were 23 years old.
When Officers James E. Pence Jr. and George M. Alleyn
drove up moments later, they could see neither suspects
nor downed officers but immediately came under fire.
Pence put out an 11-99 call then took cover behind
the passenger door. Alleyn grabbed the shotgun and
positioned himself behind the driver-side door. Both
officers were mortally wounded in the ensuing exchange
and died. Both were 24 years old.
One suspect was hit, but both escaped. They later
abandoned their vehicle and split up. Officers blanketed
the area for nine hours. Twinning broke into a house
and briefly held a man hostage. Officers used tear gas
before storming the house, but the suspect killed himself
using the shotgun he had stolen from Frago. Davis was
captured, stood trial, and was convicted on four counts of
murder.
The
Newhall Tragedy
The words Newhall and tragedy became forever
synonymous on April 6, 1970. On that day four young
California Highway Patrol officers–all had been on the
job less than two years–lost their lives in a four-minute
gun battle. Sympathy, concern, and interest were
expressed from President Richard Nixon in the White
House to Gov. Ronald Reagan at the state Capitol. Calls
and telegrams were received from federal, state, and
city police agencies throughout the United States.
In the weeks immediately after the four deaths, the
emotionally charged follow-up investigation sometimes
lingered on fault-finding, but ultimately achieved the
desired catharsis - a completely revamped set of
procedures to be followed during high-risk and felony
stops, with emphasis at every step on officer safety. If
there can be such a thing as a silver lining in a cloud
this dark, it would be renewed focus on officer safety–
not just with the CHP, but with allied police agencies the
world over.
Firearms procedures have changed fundamentally;
physical methods of arrest have been perfected; the
police baton has become a more integral element of
enforcement tactics; and new protective tools have
become part of the officer’s standard equipment. Along
with these have come far more comprehensive training–
all combining to make uniformed personnel more alert
and better prepared for the inevitable danger faced by
CHP officers.
27
Officer Nathan I. Seidenberg
(6396) Marin-Golden Gate Bridge,
Oct. 23, 1970
Officer Nathan I. Seidenberg was
traveling along U.S. Highway 101
near San Rafael when a drunk driver
crossed into his lane of traffic and
struck Seidenberg’s patrol car headon. Both the errant drunk driver and the 26-year-old
officer were killed instantly. Seidenberg, a native of San
Francisco, had graduated from the CHP Academy two
years earlier and was assigned to the Marin-Golden Gate
Bridge Area in 1969.
Officer Loren D. Scruggs (3186)
Santa Maria, April 23, 1971
Officer Loren D. Scruggs, 35, had
stopped a car for a registration
violation when another driver parked
across the road and approached him
to ask directions. While Scruggs was
answering his questions, the young
man suddenly pulled a gun and shot the patrol officer.
The killer fled but was found later after he committed
suicide. Scruggs, a nine-year veteran of the CHP, served
his entire career in Santa Maria Area. Scruggs also
attended high school and college in the area.
Officer Robert A. Mayer (6969)
West Los Angeles, Sept. 2, 1971
Officer Robert A. Mayer was
killed when the front wheel of his
motorcycle apparently developed
a high-speed wobble that sent the
motorcycle out of control. Mayer was
thrown into the center divider and
killed. The 25-year-old officer had been a member of the
Department approximately three years and had served at
Central Los Angeles and West Los Angeles Areas.
CHP and allied agencies from throughout California attend and participate in the Annual California Peace Officers
Memorial Ceremony for fallen officers at the Capitol in Sacramento on May 2, 2011.
of Honor
CODE
Dedicated to the families
and friends of officers who
died in the line of duty...
they also paid the price for
the honorable oath taken
by their loved ones.
I, a member of the California Highway Patrol,
subscribe in word and deed to the following:
“To serve the United States of America and the state of
California honestly, and conscientiously; and fulfill my
oath as a soldier of the law;
To uphold and maintain the honor and integrity of the
California Highway Patrol;
Be loyal to my fellow officers; respect and obey my
seniors in rank; and enforce the law without fear, favor,
or discrimination;
Assist those in peril or distress, and, if necessary, lay
down my life rather than swerve from the path of duty;
My personal conduct shall at all times be above
reproach and I will never knowingly commit any
act that will in any way bring discredit upon the
California Highway Patrol or any member thereof;
To all of this I do solemnly pledge my sacred honor as
an Officer of the California Highway Patrol.”
28
Officer Dana E. Paladini (7839)
South Los Angeles , July 4, 1972
Officer Dana E. Paladini and a sheriff’s
deputy arrived at the scene of a vehicle
collision involving a horse trailer. One
animal suffered a broken leg, and the
owners asked the officers to shoot the
horse. The deputy sheriff fired three
shots - one ricocheted off the trailer wall striking Paladini,
who died shortly afterward. The 25-year-old patrol officer
had been a member of the CHP for nine months.
Officer Kenneth G. Roediger
(7531) East Los Angeles, Aug. 5, 1972
Officer Kenneth G. Roediger and
his partner, Officer Norman R. Roy,
(7553), stopped a motorist and had
him outside the vehicle when a
struggle began. Roediger managed to
force the motorist to the ground and
had him in a position to be handcuffed when the man
suddenly grabbed Roediger’s gun and shot him. Roy then
shot and killed the assailant. Roediger, 24, had been a
member of the Department since 1970 and was the son
of Leslie R. Roediger (718), a retired CHP officer.
Officer Alfred G. Johnson (4347)
Merced, Aug. 27, 1972
Officer Alfred G. Johnson had just
stopped a vehicle for speeding and
was exiting his vehicle to begin
the enforcement contact when an
oncoming motorist struck the left front
of the stopped vehicle and hit and
killed Johnson. The 29-year-old patrol officer had been
a member of the CHP for six years and had previously
served in San Leandro, Los Banos, and Merced Areas.
Officer William D. McKim (1576)
San Jose, Feb. 6, 1973
Officer William D. McKim, assigned
to the Coyote Scale Facility near
San Jose, was pursuing a commercial
vehicle violator when his patrol car
crossed the center divider on U.S.
Highway 101 and was struck by a
truck and trailer. The 50-year-old patrol officer was
killed instantly. McKim, a veteran of 19 years with the
29
Department, had been assigned to San Jose for 17 years.
Before joining the CHP, McKim had been a firefighter
with the city of Modesto.
Officer Larry L. Wetterling
(5966) San Bernardino,
March 9, 1973
Officer Larry L. Wetterling saw a
disabled car on the side of the freeway
and stopped to assist a stranded
motorist. This act of kindness cost
him his life. After shooting Wetterling,
the motorist stole the patrol officer’s car, but it rolled
over as he raced away. The suspect later killed two other
people before he was captured. Wetterling, 30, had been
a member of the patrol for six years and had transferred
to San Bernardino from Riverside Area.
Officer William P. Sniffen (4464)
Oakland, April 5, 1973
Officer William P. Sniffen was
pursuing a speeding motorist on the
Nimitz Freeway when the vehicle rearended another car that was stopped
for a previous collision and burst into
flames. Sniffen lost control and his
motorcycle was thrown under the burning vehicle, killing
the 31-year-old patrol officer almost instantly. Officer
Sniffen was a seven-year member of the CHP and had
served previously in San Leandro and Oakland Areas.
Officer Robert H. Harrison Jr.
(7812) East Los Angeles,
Jan. 11, 1974
Officer Robert H. Harrison Jr. and
his partner, Officer Robert Wertman
(8273), were pursuing a drunk-driving
suspect when a motorist changed
lanes abruptly in front of the patrol
car. Harrison struck the rear of the vehicle; the impact
propelled the patrol car over the edge of the freeway into
the bottom of the Arroyo Seco Channel 25 feet below.
Wertman survived his injuries, but Harrison was killed.
He was 26 and a four-year member of the patrol.
Officer Gerald N. Harris (5554)
Bakersfield, Feb. 27, 1974
Officer Gerald N. Harris was directing
traffic at an intersection in Bakersfield
when he was struck by a hit-and-run
driver. The impact of the collision
threw Harris onto the car’s hood and
shattered the vehicle’s windshield. A
passenger riding in the front seat pushed Harris’ body
back through the windshield, off the hood and flung him
to the pavement before fleeing the scene. The 36-yearold patrol officer sustained a broken leg and other
injuries but his condition did not appear life-threatening.
He subsequently required special medical treatment.
The president of Continental Telephone in Bakersfield
volunteered his company’s private jet to fly Harris to
specialists in San Francisco, but Harris died from an
embolism. He was a seven-year member of the patrol.
The hit-and-run driver was apprehended and served 12
months in the county jail.
Officer Ralph D. Percival (2402)
Redwood City, June 3, 1974
Officer Ralph D. Percival had just
completed writing a citation to a
traffic violator and was returning to his
motorcycle when he was struck and
killed by a drunk driver. The 44-yearold patrol officer was a 17-year CHP
veteran and had worked most of his career out of the
Redwood City Area.
Officer Keith M. Giles (7403)
Santa Fe Springs, Aug. 25, 1974
Officer Keith M. Giles was patrolling
on the graveyard shift and stopped a
vehicle for a traffic violation shortly
after 2 a.m. Giles was standing on the
left side of the stopped vehicle when a
passing car drifted over the edge of the
roadway and struck the patrol officer, killing him almost
instantly. The errant driver apparently dozed off and may
have been driving under the influence of alcohol. Giles,
34, was a four-year member of the CHP.
30
Officer Robert A. Phillips (5808)
Central Los Angeles, Jan. 6, 1975
Officer Robert A. Phillips was
patrolling on his motorcycle when
the rear tire blew out causing him
to lose control. Phillips’ motorcycle
spun around throwing him to the
ground and killing the 29-year-old
patrol officer instantly. Phillips had been a member of the
Department for eight years.
Officer Enright
Officer Hernandez
Officer Frederick W. Enright (7857)
Officer Adolfo M. Hernandez (4876)
San Jose, June 27, 1975
Pilot, Officer Frederick W. Enright and Officer Adolfo M.
Hernandez were patrolling from the air the afternoon
of June 27, when their helicopter suffered catastrophic
mechanical failure that rendered it uncontrollable.
Enright had previously received a CHP commendation
for exceptional skill and decision making during an
emergency situation and he had piloted more than 1,000
combat missions during the Vietnam war. Enright had
a flawless flying record. Enright and Hernandez, the
35-year-old observer, were both killed instantly. Enright
had been a member of the patrol for four years and
Hernandez had been a member for five years.
Officer Alfred R. Turner (6185)
Los Banos, Dec. 16, 1975
Officer Alfred R. Turner was patrolling
on Interstate 5 near Los Banos when
he stopped a vehicle at 10 p.m.
because the motorist was driving with
a burned-out headlight. Turner was
unaware that the car had just been
stolen in San Leandro. As the officer stepped out of his
patrol car, the motorist exited his vehicle. They began
walking toward each other when the motorist suddenly
pulled a .357 magnum revolver and opened fire. Turner
was hit with three bullets, but he returned fire and hit
his assailant with five shots. Turner, 35, succumbed to his
wounds and died 12 days later. He had been an officer
for seven years. His killer recovered from his wounds and
was charged with murder.
Officer Gary L. Hughes (3401)
Vallejo, May 23, 1976
Officer Gary L. Hughes and his
partner, Officer Lance R. Thelen
(4116), stopped and arrested a
suspected drunk driver along Interstate
80 in Vallejo. Hughes was sitting in the
rear of the patrol car with the suspect
when a pick-up truck camper plowed into the patrol car
pinning Hughes against the front seat and causing massive
head injuries. The 38-year-old officer died enroute to
the hospital and the prisoner received minor injuries.
Thelen was near the front of the patrol car with a tow
truck operator completing paperwork for impounding
the suspect’s vehicle when they were struck by the patrol
car as it was rammed by the truck. Thelen suffered a
severe leg injury and the tow truck operator later died
from internal injuries. The driver of the pick-up truck
was charged with felony drunk driving and manslaughter.
Hughes was an 11-year veteran of the patrol.
Officer Edward A. Parker III
(5027) Riverside, May 2, 1977
Officer Edward A. Parker III was
found slumped over the wheel of his
patrol car after suffering a heart attack
following the pursuit of a speeding
motorcyclist in Riverside. Parker was
rushed to the hospital but suffered
two more attacks and died. Parker, 33, was an 11-year
veteran of the CHP.
31
Officer Arthur E. Dunn (3318)
Redding, July 9, 1977
Officer Arthur E. Dunn had just
radioed Redding dispatch that he was
bringing in a prisoner he had arrested
for drunk driving. When Dunn failed
to arrive or respond to radio contact,
his beat partner started a search.
Dunn’s patrol car was discovered over an embankment
where it had plunged after the prisoner shot the officer
with a small caliber handgun he had concealed. Dunn’s
killer escaped by kicking out the patrol car’s rear window
but was captured nearby. Dunn, 43, was a 14-year CHP
veteran and had been assigned to the Burney Resident
Post for 10 years.
Officer George W. Redding
(4282) Redding, Aug. 17, 1977
Officer George W. Redding responded
to a collision where a vehicle had
crashed into a telephone pole. Redding
had just exited his patrol car when
a passing vehicle struck the downed
telephone support cable causing it to
snap and whip across the road. The flying cable struck
the patrol officer, wrapped around his ankles and hurled
him into the air before throwing him to the ground.
Redding, 43, sustained critical injuries and died four days
later. His son is Officer Mark W. Redding (11705) of the
Redding Area.
Officer William B. Wolff III
(8342) Baldwin Park, Dec. 30, 1977
Officer William B. Wolff III was
returning to his vehicle after making
an enforcement stop along the San
Bernardino Freeway when he was
struck and killed by a drunk driver.
The force of the impact was such that
Wolff was thrown over the vehicle he cited and killed
instantly. The 32-year-old patrol officer had joined the
Departmant four years earlier and had served in the
Baldwin Park Area since graduating from the Academy.
The motorist who killed Wolff was charged with felony
drunk driving.
A name is read and the bell tolls; Ruben Calderon (15570) solemnly performs his duty during the reading of the names
at the CHP Academy Memorial Ceremony for our fallen officers, May 3, 2011.
Reflection
Moments of
In quiet moments of reflection,
loved ones and fellow officers share
their loss — remembering, honoring,
and never, ever forgetting —
who these fallen officers were,
and what they sacrificed.
32
Officer Horine
Officer Leiphardt
Officer Wood
Officer McCabe
Officer Harold E. Horine (6686)
Officer William F. Leiphardt Jr. (4991)
Officer Gayle W. Wood Jr. (6746)
Officer James E. McCabe (7801)
Baldwin Park, May 13, 1978
Officers Harold E. Horine and William F. Leiphardt
Jr., both 39 years old, were partners working out of
the Baldwin Park Area. Horine and Leiphardt were
investigating a roadside crash involving an abandoned
vehicle when a passing tractor and trailer swerved onto
the shoulder, smashed into the abandoned car, and
rammed it into the patrol officers. Horine and Leiphardt
were both killed instantly. Horine had been a member
of the patrol for 10 years, and Leiphardt had 12 years
of service with the Department. The truck driver was
charged with felony drunk driving and manslaughter.
Southern Division, Sept. 1, 1978
Officers Gayle W. Wood Jr. and James E. McCabe were
on air traffic patrol, making their last run before quitting
at dusk when their CHP helicopter crashed and burned
near Castaic Lake on Interstate 5. The helicopter struck
a power line support that apparently was not visible in
the approaching darkness. Wood, the 41-year-old pilot,
was a 10-year veteran of the patrol and had been a CHP
pilot for five years. McCabe, the 34-year-old observer,
had been a member of the patrol for seven years and a
helicopter observer for six months.
Officer Ward E. Washington
(6989) Santa Fe Springs, July 10, 1978
Officer Ward E. Washington was killed
when a truck blew a tire and the
driver lost control, hurling the truck
off the Pomona Freeway. The truck hit
Washington as he was having lunch
at an outdoor restaurant. Ironically,
Washington, 39, had been assigned to reduce truck
collisions by inspecting the vehicles in truck yards and on
the roads for safety violations.
33
Officer Blecher
Officer Freeman
Officer Roy P. Blecher (2455)
Officer William M. Freeman (4885)
Woodland, Dec. 22, 1978
Officers Roy P. Blecher and William M. Freeman were
partners, working out of the Woodland Area office, when
they were gunned down along Interstate 80 near the Yolo
Causeway in West Sacramento. Investigators found signs
of a struggle. Blecher was handcuffed and shot in the
back of the head and Freeman had been overpowered,
shot and killed. Their last radio contact was at 3:12
a.m. when they stopped a suspect for a routine traffic
violation. The killer was captured, tried and convicted
of the murders and is currently serving a life sentence.
Blecher, 50, was a 21-year CHP veteran and Freeman,
32, was a 12-year patrol veteran.
Officer Donald R. Holloway
(6745) Coalinga, Jan. 3, 1980
Officer Donald R. Holloway, a
licensed private pilot, was using his
personal aircraft to fly to a court
appearance where he was testifying
in a criminal case. Holloway was
returning to his home in Coalinga
when his aircraft crashed, killing him instantly. The
37-year-old patrol officer had been a member of the
patrol for 11 years.
Officer Ernest R. Felio (3202)
Crescent City, Sept. 7, 1980
Officer Ernest R. Felio was on routine
patrol when he was shot and killed by
a motorist he stopped for questioning.
A security guard at a nearby farming
operation testified he heard a brief
conversation between the motorist
and the officer, then heard the sound of two shots. The
49-year-old patrol officer was an 18-year CHP veteran
who served 17 years at Crescent City Area. A description
of Felio’s killer and vehicle provided by the security
guard led to his capture.
Officer Gerald E. Dormaier
(4654) Bakersfield, Dec. 25, 1980
Officer Gerald E. Dormaier and his
partner, Officer Jerry M. Bean, were
working Christmas Day on a foggy
stretch of U.S. Highway 99 south of
Bakersfield when they arrived at the
scene of an overturned propane truck.
Dormaier was standing on the center divider and Bean
was laying flares when a tanker truck came out of the fog
at a high rate of speed, braked and jackknifed near the
center divider, striking Dormaier and the patrol car. The
42-year-old patrol officer was killed instantly. Dormaier,
a 14-year CHP veteran, had served in Anaheim, Tejon,
Truckee, Buellton and Bakersfield Areas.
34
Officer Paul C. Jarske (3493)
Garberville, Feb. 24, 1981
Officer Paul C. Jarske was driving in
snow-slush conditions when he lost
control of his vehicle. Jarske’s patrol
car skidded and left the highway,
struck several obstructions then
plunged into a creek, landing upside
down. Officer Jarske was submerged in the water and
drowned. The 47-year-old officer was a 17-year veteran
of the patrol.
Officer James J. Schumacher
Jr. (7164) Merced, June 13, 1981
Officer James J. Schumacher Jr.
stopped and cited a speeding car on
U.S. Highway 99 and was obtaining
the driver’s signature when a passing
car drifted toward the shoulder,
sideswiped the parked car, and struck
Schumacher. The officer was dragged more than 100 feet
before being thrown free. He died instantly. The elderly
driver who hit Schumacher apparently fell asleep and
was charged with manslaughter. Schumacher, 33, was
a 12-year CHP veteran, and had served in the South
Los Angeles and Westminster Areas before transferring
to Merced in 1980. In a tragic footnote to the crash,
Schumacher’s badge, ripped from his shirt, had been
taken by a souvenir hunter. A facsimile badge had to be
produced for the Schumacher family. Schumacher’s son,
Andrew (15732), is currently assigned to Chowchilla
River Inspection Facility.
Officer Johnny R. Martinez
(8813) East Los Angeles, Oct. 2, 1981
Officer Johnny R. Martinez and his
partner, (now retired captain) Officer
James Szabo (9423) were clearing
debris obstructing the San Bernardino
Freeway in East Los Angeles when
a vehicle pulled alongside the two
officers and the three occupants opened fire at point
blank range. Martinez, 33, was fatally wounded and died
the next day. Szabo, 27, who was wearing a bullet-proof
vest, received a neck wound and recovered. An intense
manhunt ensued for the killers. One of the suspects and
a companion later were killed in a shootout in Salt Lake
City, Utah. Martinez was a four-year member of the
CHP.
another vehicle and struck the CHP unit head-on.
Copleman, 27, died at the scene and the van occupants
sustained major injuries. The speeding motorcyclist was
stopped and arrested by Fillmore police on suspicion
of vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving causing
injury. Copleman was the son of retired Officer Ron
Copleman (2241).
Officer Carey
Officer Archer
Officer George R. Carey (4044)
Officer Kenneth L. Archer (7255)
Barstow, Feb. 24, 1982
Officers George R. Carey and Kenneth L. Archer were
killed when their air operations helicopter crashed during a search mission in the Harper Lake area west of
Barstow. Carey, the 47-year-old pilot, was a 17-year CHP
veteran with previous service in Indio and Visalia before
becoming a helicopter pilot in 1981. Archer, the 42-yearold observer, had served 13 years with the patrol and
had been assigned to the South Los Angeles Area before
transferring to Barstow Area in 1970.
Officer Dale E. Newby (5519)
Stockton, July 17, 1982
Officer Dale E. Newby, 36, was shot
and killed by a motorist he had pulled
over for speeding and erratic driving
along Interstate 5 north of Stockton.
Newby scuffled with the motorist, an
ex-mental patient, who opened fire
with a .357 magnum handgun, shooting Newby in the
hand, then twice in the back as the officer retreated toward
his patrol car. The tragedy multiplied when the gunman
took a hostage, whom he subsequently shot and killed,
before taking his own life. Newby was a 15-year CHP veteran and had served in the Baldwin Park and Contra Costa
Areas before transferring to Stockton in 1972.
Officer David W. Copleman
(10503) Ventura, April 6, 1985
Officer David W. Copleman was
killed during the pursuit of a speeding motorcyclist on Route 126 in east
Ventura County. Copleman initiated
the pursuit and was joined by two
Ventura sheriff’s units and a Fillmore
Police Department unit. All four law enforcement units
had lights and sirens activated when an oncoming van
swerved into opposing traffic lanes to avoid rear-ending
35
Officer Raymond E. Miller
(7272) Bakersfield, Aug. 14, 1985
Officer Raymond E. Miller was standing with a truck driver he was citing
for illegally parking on the shoulder of
Interstate 5 near Bakersfield when a
truck-tractor drifted onto the shoulder
and crashed into the patrol unit. The
impact of the collision rammed the patrol car into the
two men, crushing their legs. The truck then continued
across all traffic lanes into the center divider where it
overturned. Although he had sustained severe leg injuries,
Miller directed traffic and emergency operations as he
lay on the ground. Three weeks after the collision, Miller
died of a massive pulmonary embolism while waiting for
surgery on his injured legs. He was 41 and a 16-year CHP
veteran.
Officer Dean J. Esquibel (11289)
Hanford, Aug. 21, 1985
Officer Dean J. Esquibel was providing
back-up in a high-speed pursuit of a
fleeing motorcycle on state Route 198
near the Kings-Tulare County line. The
two units were passing a truck when
a driver ahead of the truck braked
and a passenger car slowed and began to skid sideways.
The truck then swerved left to avoid hitting the skidding car, forcing the two officers to swerve. Both patrol
units spun out of control and Esquibel’s patrol car veered
into a parked Caltrans road grader and burst into flames.
The impact of the collision pinned the officer inside
the burning vehicle. A passing truck driver extinguished
the flames and CHP Officer Greg De La Cruz, who
himself was injured, pulled Esquibel from the wreckage.
Esquibel, who was 23 years old and a member of the
CHP for one year, died two weeks later. The motorcyclist
was captured and charged with felony hit-and-run driving, resisting arrest, evading a police officer, and driving
with a suspended license.
Officer George F. Butler (4854)
Golden Gate Division, Dec. 8, 1986
Officer George F. Butler, 52, was flying as an observer in a CHP helicopter
taking aerial photographs of a double
traffic fatality on Interstate 80 near
Dixon. After finishing the photographs, the helicopter then set down
a short distance from the collision scene in an open field
adjacent to an irrigation canal. Butler exited the left side
of the aircraft and proceeded to walk up the edge of the
canal’s raised berm when he was struck by the helicopter’s main rotor and hurled into the empty irrigation
canal. The 21-year veteran was killed instantly.
Officer Michael A. Brandt
(9483) Indio, April 6, 1987
Officer Michael A. Brandt was pursuing a suspected drunk driver on U.S.
Highway 74, a winding mountain
road near Palm Desert, when he lost
control on a sharp curve, skidded over
a 15-foot embankment, overturned
and landed upside down. Brandt was found strapped in
the driver’s seat but died just hours later from his injuries. The 35-year-old patrol officer had been a member
of the Department for eight years. The vehicle Brandt
had pursued was located 150 feet down the side of the
mountain, wrecked and in flames, but the driver and two
small children had been ejected and survived. The driver
was subsequently charged with felony DUI, felony manslaughter, and child endangerment.
Officer Terry W. Autrey (11929)
East Los Angeles, Sept. 30, 1987
Officer Terry W. Autrey and his
partner, Officer Michael Price, had
completed the initial investigation
of a non-injury collision on the Long
Beach Freeway and were returning
to their patrol car which had been
parked in the center divider. As Autrey approached the
passenger side, a vehicle sideswiped the patrol car killing
him instantly and knocking Price into the center divider’s
guardrail where he sustained severe back injuries. Officer
Autrey, 28, had just reported to his first assignment on
September 2 after graduating from the Academy one
month earlier.
36
Officer Mark T. Taylor (11558)
Indio, Nov. 26, 1987
Officer Mark T. Taylor was on
Thanksgiving holiday patrol along
Interstate 10 near Palm Springs when
he made an enforcement stop. Taylor
was completing the citation when an
elderly motorist struck the vehicle
being cited, which in turn struck Taylor, throwing him
into the path of the elderly motorist where he was struck
again. The 28-year-old patrol officer was killed instantly.
Taylor had been a member of the CHP for three years
and was assigned to Indio Area after Academy training.
Lt. John C. Helmick (6960)
Red Bluff, Feb. 27, 1989
Lt. John C. Helmick, Red Bluff Area
commander, was killed when the car
he was driving crashed into a Caltrans
truck parked on the shoulder of U.S.
Highway 99. Helmick, 43, was on
his way to speak at a luncheon of
the Oroville Rotary Club when the collision occurred
at 11:10 a.m. He was a 20-year CHP veteran and had
been commander of the Red Bluff Area for three years.
Helmick was the brother of retired CHP Commissioner
Dwight (Spike) Helmick (7308).
Officer Hugo Olazar (10371)
San Francisco, Sept. 2, 1989
Officer Hugo Olazar, 35, and his
partner, Officer Javier Rocha (11016),
had just pulled onto the shoulder of
Interstate 280 to investigate a solo-vehicle collision when their patrol car was
rammed by a pick-up traveling at a high
rate of speed. The impact caused the body of the patrol
car to buckle, jamming the doors shut. The patrol car then
burst into flames, trapping both officers inside. Rocha was
able to escape the burning vehicle by shooting out a side
window and tried to pull his unconscious partner out, but
his efforts were unsuccessful because of the intense flames.
Rocha then went back to the burning pickup and pulled its
three occupants to safety, suffering second and third-degree
burns. The pickup driver was charged with felony DUI,
vehicular manslaughter, and driving on a suspended license.
Olazar had been a member of the Department for seven
years.
Officer James C. O’Connor
(10404) Ventura, Nov. 15, 1990
Officer James C. O’Connor was returning from quarterly motorcycle training
and riding in a four-man formation
with three other CHP motorcycle officers on a two-lane mountainous road.
O’Connor, riding in the outer-rear position, was making a sharp curve on state Highway 154 when
an elderly motorist crossed the center line and struck him
head-on. Although the other officers immediately began
emergency medical treatment, the 34-year-old officer died
at the scene. O’Connor had been a member of the CHP for
eight years and was assigned to the West Valley Area before
transferring to Ventura Area a year earlier.
Officer Fidel Aleman (11328)
Central Los Angeles, July 23, 1992
Officer Fidel Aleman, 33, was driving to the Central Los Angeles Area
office to report for his shift that began
at 9:30 p.m. when a pickup made an
unsafe lane change directly in front of
him. Aleman flashed his lights at the
driver and the pickup slowed, then the driver began to
follow the officer with his high beams glaring. When the
pickup continued to follow the officer after he exited
the freeway, Aleman decided to confront the driver. As
Aleman stepped out of his car, the suspect driver slowly
drove along the left side of the officer, then raised a gun
and fired one shot through the truck’s passenger window.
Aleman was shot in the chest, fell back in the driver’s
seat and fired one round at the suspect as he was speeding away. The eight-year veteran died 20 minutes later.
Officer John N. McVeigh Jr.
(9752) King City, April 17, 1993
Officer John N. McVeigh Jr. was
responding to an injury collision when
he lost control of his patrol car as it
rounded a curve. McVeigh’s patrol car
spun into the opposing lane of traffic where it was struck broadside by
an oncoming pick-up. Although McVeigh was securely
belted in his seat and his airbag deployed, the force of the
impact killed the 38-year-old officer instantly. McVeigh
was a 13-year veteran of the CHP and a 1992 King City
Officer of the Year recipient.
37
Sgt. John L. Steel (8018)
Santa Ana, April 23, 1993
Sgt. John L. Steel, 47, was riding his
motorcycle on Irvine Boulevard at
4:20 a.m. when a vehicle crossed
over the 14-foot-wide center median
and crashed head-on into Steel’s
motorcycle. Steel was propelled into
the vehicle’s windshield and thrown to the pavement.
Although two motorists stopped to render aid, Steel
did not survive. Steel was a 21-year CHP veteran and a
member of the Santa Ana protective services unit that
had escorted world leaders such as British Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher, and U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan
and George Bush. The motorist was charged with misdemeanor manslaughter, driving without a driver’s license,
and having no insurance. Steel’s son, is Officer Jake A.
Steel (15289), he is currently working at the Academy.
Officer Larry J. Jaramillo
(11663) Inland Division,
June 22, 1993
Officer Larry J. Jaramillo was
returning to Inland Division Air
Operations Unit after completing
a court appearance in Inyo County
when his patrol car collided with a
truck that was stopped in traffic near a construction site
on U.S. Highway 395. The impact of the crash killed
Jaramillo instantly. The 42-year-old officer was an eightyear member of the CHP and was selected in 1989 to
serve as a fixed-wing aircraft pilot in Inland Division’s
Air Operations Unit. Jaramillo was honored as the
1993 Officer of the Year by the Latino Peace Officers
Association. He also received an award for his heroic
rescue efforts of two young men who were stranded.
Jaramillo’s widow, June (11901), is a former CHP officer.
Officer Richard A. Maxwell
(12788) Bakersfield, July 11, 1994
Officer Richard A. Maxwell was
attempting to make an enforcement
stop on a suspected stolen vehicle
when the vehicle pulled into a residential driveway. The two occupants,
later identified as a father and son
who lived at the residence, exited the vehicle and both
became combative with the officer. The father retrieved
a 12-gauge shotgun from the garage and opened fire on
the unsuspecting officer. Maxwell’s bullet-proof vest
protected his chest, but lead pellets penetrated his neck
and face. The officer returned fire, but none of his shots
hit his assailants, and they fled. Two CHP officers arrived,
spotted Maxwell slumped in the driveway, and immediately began first aid. Maxwell’s wounds proved too severe
and the 33-year-old officer died minutes later. Maxwell
had been a member of the Department for five years.
Maxwell’s killer’s conviction for first-degree murder was
overturned and, after three subsequent trials, he was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and released with 12
years of time served.
Officer Bruce T. Hinman (11820)
West Valley, Sept. 26, 1995
Officer Bruce T. Hinman was on a
routine motorcycle patrol on state
Route 170 at U.S. Highway 101 when
he stopped to assist a disabled motorist. A drunk driver traveling at 60 mph
along U.S. Highway 101 attempted to
change routes by driving over a raised berm, then across
the freeway and onto the dirt shoulder where he crashed
into the disabled vehicle. The impact spun the disabled
vehicle around, knocking Hinman to the ground, and
coming to rest with its rear wheels on top of the officer’s
chest, suffocating him. Hinman, 34, was placed on life
support but died just one week later. He was a nine-year
member of the CHP and was assigned to the West Valley
Area after graduating from the Academy.
38
Officer Artie J. Hubbard (8774)
South Sacramento, Dec. 8, 1995
Officer Artie J. Hubbard was on his
dinner break the evening of April 5,
1985, when he heard an 11-99 (“officer needs help”) call. Hubbard was
responding to the call when his patrol
car failed to negotiate a curve, slid off
the roadway and struck a utility pole broadside. The driver’s door on the patrol car took the full impact and the
officer suffered extensive injuries, including severing his
spinal column. Hubbard was placed on life-support and
survived. For the next 10 years his parents took care of
him in their home, but he was limited to communicating
through eye movement. Hubbard died on Dec. 8, 1995.
At the time of the collision, he was a 10-year member of
the CHP and had served in the Central Los Angeles and
South Sacramento Areas. Hubbard was the brother of
retired Officer Michael Hubbard (9579).
Officer David W. Manning
(12246) Bakersfield, Feb. 15, 1996
Officer David W. Manning was riding
his CHP motorcycle on his way
home from work at 10:30 p.m. Jan.
25, 1996 when he was involved in a
solo motorcycle collision. Manning
was thrown from his motorcycle and
suffered a severe head trauma. He remained in a coma
and died Feb. 15, 1996. Manning had been one of the
first officers assigned to the “new” Bakersfield Area motor
squad when it was reactivated after a 25-year absence.
The 31-year-old patrol officer liked to carry candy canes
with him to hand out to children he encountered. At the
scene of his fatal collision, Manning’s motorcycle was
on its side and his candy canes were scattered all around
him. Manning was a member of the CHP for eight years
and served in East Los Angeles and Bakersfield Areas.
Officer Don J. Burt (13892)
Santa Ana, July 13, 1996
Officer Don J. Burt made an enforcement stop in the city of Fullerton and
determined that the motorist was driving on a suspended license. Burt began
to inventory the vehicle’s contents for
impound purposes when the driver
exited the car, began a physical confrontation with him,
pulled a pistol and opened fire. The officer was felled
by six shots. While lying on his back, mortally wounded,
the gunman walked up and fired a seventh shot to the
officer’s head, killing him instantly. Burt, 25, was the son
of retired Sgt. Don R. Burt (6889) who just 15 months
earlier had pinned on his son’s badge when he graduated from the Academy. Burt’s killer stole the officer’s
service revolver and fled in the patrol vehicle, but was
apprehended two days later in Texas and extradited to
California. He received the death penalty in June 2000.
Officer Reuben F. Rios (8592)
San Bernardino, Oct. 26, 1996
Officer Reuben F. Rios was directing
traffic as it left the concert grounds
at the Blockbuster Pavilion near
Interstate 15 when an intoxicated
motorist accelerating to change lanes
struck Rios. The patrol officer was
thrown onto the hood, then into the windshield and fell
to the pavement with head and internal injuries. Fellow
officers immediately rushed to Rios’ aid and he was
transported by ambulance to the hospital. He died within
hours. The 53-year-old patrol officer was a 22-year CHP
veteran and had been assigned to San Bernardino Area
since graduating from the Academy in 1974. Rios’ son,
Officer Reuben F. Rios Jr. (15495), San Bernardino Area,
graduated from the Academy April 3, 1998. The driver of
the vehicle that killed Rios was charged with felony DUI
and second-degree murder.
39
Officer Noreen A. Vargas
(12532) Baldwin Park, Nov. 8, 1996
Officer Noreen A. Vargas was driving
along the San Bernardino Freeway on
her way to conduct a felony investigation when an on-coming tractor trailer
rig lost its trailer’s right dual tires
which bounced across the freeway
lanes into the center divider. One of the tires struck the
divider and careened 30 feet into the air and landed on
Vargas’ vehicle. The impact crushed the vehicle’s roof
and killed Vargas instantly. The 37-year-old patrol officer
had been a member of the CHP for eight years. Vargas
was the first female officer killed in the line of duty since
the Department began including women in its ranks in
1974.
Officer James D. Schultz (7911)
Winterhaven, Nov. 16, 1996
Officer James D. Schultz and his
partner, Officer Robert Sapp (14803),
were investigating an abandoned
vehicle on the shoulder of Interstate 8
when a sleepy driver’s vehicle drifted
toward the right shoulder. The trailer
he was towing struck Schultz. Sapp immediately began
emergency medical care on the 46-year-old officer and
Schultz was quickly transported to the hospital but he
died just hours later. Schultz was a 24-year CHP veteran.
Officer Saul Martinez (12555)
Indio, May 8, 1997
Officers Saul Martinez and James
D. Rice (9694), paired on graveyard
shift, were investigating a vehicle
parked on the shoulder of a road north
of Palm Springs. An oncoming car,
traveling more than 15 feet off the
roadway, barreled down on the two officers. Martinez
shoved his partner to safety, only to be struck and critically injured himself. The 39-year-old officer died eight
days later without regaining consciousness. Martinez, a
seven-year member of the patrol, had just been named
Latino Peace Officer of the Year for San Bernardino and
Riverside counties in recognition of his outstanding service in El Protector, a CHP traffic and safety program for
the Latino community. Gov. Pete Wilson posthumously
presented him with the Medal of Valor, the state’s high-
est award, to recognize his heroism. The Coachella
Valley School District, in an unprecedented action,
voted to name a new elementary school in his honor.
Misdemeanor manslaughter charges were filed against
the driver who struck and killed Martinez.
Officer Daniel J. Muehlhausen
(13933) Indio, June 1, 1997
Officer Daniel J. Muehlhausen had
just finished investigating a minor
traffic collision and was dispatched
to assist a disabled motorist about
11 a.m. Muehlhausen was traveling
east on Highway 62 near Twentynine
Palms when a mini pickup attempting to pass on a hill
crossed over double yellow lines and struck his patrol
car head on. The 30-year-old officer and the two young
male occupants of the truck were killed instantly. Both
vehicles were immediately engulfed in flames. The rural
two-lane stretch of highway where the crash occurred
was marked with “No Passing” warning signs because of
numerous dips and blind curves that hampered a driver’s
view of oncoming traffic. Only hours earlier, the driver
was traveling in a group of four mini-trucks when one
of the drivers was ticketed for trying to pass unsafely.
Muehlhausen was assigned to the Indio Area after graduating from the Academy two years earlier.
Officer Scott M. Greenly
(14325) San Jose, Jan. 7, 1998
Officer Scott M. Greenly made an
enforcement stop on state Route 85.
As he approached the passenger side,
he gave the motorist a verbal warning
for following too closely. When he was
returning to his patrol car, a speeding vehicle ran off the roadway onto the raised freeway
embankment, striking the patrol car, sideswiping the
vehicle he had been standing next to, hitting him, and
dragging his body across three lanes of traffic. Greenly
was transported to the hospital, but succumbed to his
injuries while being treated by medical personnel. The
32-year-old officer had been assigned to the San Jose
Area after graduating from the Academy three years
earlier. He had recently become a motor officer, but was
using a patrol vehicle because of inclement weather. The
driver who killed Greenly was charged with seconddegree murder.
40
Officer Irvine
Officer Stovall
Officer Rick B. Stovall (9623)
Officer Britt T. Irvine (10657)
Santa Maria, Feb. 24, 1998
Officers Rick B. Stovall and Britt T. Irvine, partners on
graveyard shift, were responding to a possible truck collision on mountainous state Route 166 east of Santa
Maria. Rain and fog made visibility poor. Their route took
them along the Cuyama River, swollen by recent storms.
A huge section of the roadway had been chewed away by
the raging river and their patrol car plunged 20 feet into
the torrent. When dispatch lost radio contact, CHP and
allied agencies began to search. It wasn’t until the next
morning that a CHP helicopter crew found the patrol
car, upside down, buried in silt, with only the tip of one
wheel visible. Officer Stovall, 39, was an 18-year veteran
of the Department and the son of retired Officer Robert
Stovall (3668). Irvine, 40, had served 15 years with the
patrol.
Officer Christopher D. Lydon
(14752) El Cajon, June 5, 1998
At approximately 12:25 a.m., CHP
dispatch advised Officer Christopher
D. Lydon and his partner, Officer
Jeffery A. Jenkins (14676), of a possible drunken driver northbound on
state Route 67 at Interstate 8. Lydon
and Jenkins responded from a distance of approximately
four miles and attempted to intercept the vehicle
from southbound SR 67. As the patrol unit rounded a
sweeping left-hand curve, it lost traction and spun out
of control. The car vaulted off the edge of the freeway,
overturned, and struck a tree bordering the frontage road.
Rescue personnel extricated Lydon from the vehicle, but
emergency medical personnel pronounced the 27-yearold dead at the scene. Jenkins sustained bruises and lacerations to his face and a separated shoulder, but was able
to free himself from the vehicle. Lydon, a Marine Corps
veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm, was a
two-year member of the patrol.
Officer David D. Irwin (7770)
South Los Angeles, Sept. 18, 2000
On Dec. 27, 1985, Officer David
D. Irwin had completed his “Noon
Motors” shift in the Firestone Park
District and was enroute to the South
Los Angeles Area office for debriefing.
While riding his departmental motorcycle westbound on Manchester Avenue nearing the
intersection of Broadway, Irwin was forced into a hard
braking sequence that resulted in the motorcycle’s loss of
control. Irwin and the motorcycle slid into the intersection where he was struck by a northbound vehicle. Irwin
sustained extensive injuries and lived out his remaining
years as a paraplegic. He died Sept. 18, 2000. At the
time of the collision, Irwin was a 14-year veteran of the
Department. All his service was at the South Los Angeles
Area.
Officer Sean A. Nava (12890)
Oceanside, Oct. 28, 2000
Officer Sean A. Nava was killed by a
drunk driver while investigating an
earlier collision on Interstate 5 near
Carlsbad in San Diego County. He
was taking measurements in the center
divider when the suspect vehicle, traveling approximately 75 mph, struck him, causing fatal
injuries. The suspect had been driving in the paved center
median to pass another vehicle traveling in the fast lane
when his vehicle struck Nava. Nava was 33 years old and
an 11-year veteran of the CHP. The driver fled the scene,
but was apprehended a short time later by the Carlsbad
Police Department. The suspect was found guilty of gross
vehicular manslaughter and was released after serving
five years of an 11-year sentence.
Sgt. Gary R. Wagers (9221)
Woodland, March 15, 2001
Sgt. Gary R. Wagers was traveling
northbound on state Route 113 near
Woodland, and was engaged in an
enforcement activity. His vehicle skidded sharply across two lanes, striking
a guardrail. Wagers was killed upon
impact. A commuter discovered the crash at approximately 6 a.m. Wagers had been a member of the patrol
for 22 years, and was 54 years of age. He was also a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve.
41
Officer Stephen M. Linen
(13812) Oceanside, Aug. 12, 2001
Officer Stephen M. Linen, 31, was
conducting an enforcement stop on a
pickup truck near the city of Encinitas.
As he stood near the right side of the
patrol car, the suspect vehicle drove
onto the shoulder, struck the right rear
of the patrol car and pushed it into the pickup truck. The
impact caused the patrol car to enter the lanes of traffic
and burst into flames. When the patrol car spun out of the
way, the right front fender of the suspect vehicle hit Linen
while traveling at a very high rate of speed, and launched
him 15-20 feet up onto the embankment. Several witnesses arrived and began CPR efforts at the collision scene.
Linen died at the hospital as a result of massive skull fractures. He was a six-year veteran of the patrol. The driver,
a 20-year-old Marine lance corporal stationed at Camp
Pendleton, was arrested for suspicion of driving under the
influence of alcohol and booked for felony DUI and gross
vehicular manslaughter. The suspect later pleaded guilty to
gross vehicular manslaughter and was given the maximum
sentence of 10 years.
Officer John Pedro (12918)
Santa Cruz, June 3, 2002
Officer John Pedro, 36, was working commercial enforcement in the
southern end of Santa Cruz County
in a specially marked patrol vehicle at
about 6:59 a.m. Pedro had turned in
the center median to the northbound
state Route 1 and was travelling at 79 mph with his
emergency lights activated. For unknown reasons, he lost
control of his vehicle while negotiating the northbound
off-ramp to eastbound state Route 129. The car hit a
large tree broadside, shearing it off and overturning the
car. The impact killed Pedro instantly. Evidence supports
that Pedro was attempting to overtake and conduct an
enforcement stop on a vehicle that had exited the offramp. At the time of his death he had been with the
Department for 12 years.
Officer Shannon L. Distel
(15357) Riverside, Aug. 27, 2003
Officer Shannon L. Distel died in the
line of duty while patrolling on his
motorcycle in Riverside. A pickup
truck pulling a trailer turned in front
of Distel’s motorcycle. Distel was 31
years old and a seven-year veteran of
the CHP. Distel went into the U.S. Marine Corps where
he served in Desert Storm and attained the rank of sergeant.
Officer Robert J. Coulter
(12941) Trinity River, Nov. 2, 2003
Officer Robert J. Coulter died when
the shotgun in his patrol car accidentally fired. He was 39 years old at the
time of his death and a 13-year
veteran of the patrol.
Officer Dean E. Beattie (9490)
San Diego, Nov. 19, 2003
Officer Dean E. Beattie was involved
in a fatal traffic collision while riding
his departmental motorcycle northbound on state Route 163. Beattie was
46 years old when he died. He was an
experienced rider and 24-year veteran
of the CHP. Ironically, Beattie began his career the same
day he died--Nov. 19.
Officer Paul H. Pino (9735)
Bishop, Dec. 30, 2003
Officer Paul H. Pino was killed after
an out-of-control sport utility vehicle
slammed into his patrol car. Pino had
stopped a big rig and was sitting in the
front seat of the patrol car writing the
citation when the SUV hit his car at
high speed. Pino became a state traffic officer cadet Aug.
25, 1980. He graduated from the Academy Jan. 1, 1981,
and was assigned to South Los Angeles Area. He transferred to Bishop Area three years later. He was off duty
from Aug. 22, 1990, until Jan. 10, 1994, due to a disabling
injury and worked hard to return to the job he loved. He
42
later reinstated and was assigned to Barstow. Pino transferred back to Bishop Area Nov. 1, 1995. At the time of
his death, Pino worked at the Lone Pine Resident Post.
Officer Thomas J. Steiner
(15729) Santa Fe Springs,
April 21, 2004
Officer Thomas J. Steiner, 35 years
old, was gunned down in front of
a Pomona courthouse. Steiner had
finished testifying in a series of traffic
cases and was walking to his car. As he
was about to cross the street, a car stopped, the driver got
out, leaned over the hood, yelled obscenities at Steiner,
and fired four shots at him. The killer then got back into
his vehicle and sped away. Steiner was struck twice in the
chest and once in the head. He graduated from the CHP
Academy April 23, 1999, and had been assigned to the
Santa Fe Springs Area since graduation.
Officer James M. Goodman
June 3, 2004
Officer James M. Goodman, 48, San
Bernardino Area, was responding
on his motorcycle to the Redlands
Department of Motor Vehicles building to investigate a hit-and-run traffic
collision. Upon his arrival, he gave chase behind the suspected hit-and-run driver when another vehicle pulled
out and hit him. Upon graduation from the Academy he
was assigned to the Redwood City Area, later transferring to Oakland Area. He received the Governor’s Medal
of Valor for rescue work during the 1989 Loma Prieta
Earthquake. He had been assigned to San Bernardino
Area since 2001.
The badge of the
CHP
From time to time a special few are chosen as the best
To wear the star with seven points and California’s crest
They pledge to sacrifice their lives, protecting one and all
Giving their best, so proud, and standing tall
From the redwood trees up north, to the desert and the shore
We turn to them for help and strength, when trouble’s at our door
Their courage and their wisdom, burns as a shining light
It guides them through like a beacon in the night
The badge of trust that’s worn with pride
A sense of honor, truth, and justice beats inside
They are the men and women working faithfully
Wearing the badge of the CHP
Answering a cry for help in the darkness of the night
Standing ground, no backing down, when called upon to fight
The gentle hands that hold a child and wipe away the tears
Those same strong hands that pledge our flag so dear
A badge of gold upon the chest for all to see
And if one of them is taken for a bigger, higher call
God holds them close in his arms never to fall
A badge of gold upon the chest for all to see
Lyrics by Cliff Bemis
Music by Cliff Bemis and David Grow
43
Officer David M. Romero
Sept. 23, 2005
Officer David M. Romero was on his
departmental motorcycle, stopped
at a red traffic signal in the left-hand
turn lane on northbound Turnbull
Canyon Road at Valley Boulevard
in the City of Industry. Romero was hurled from his
motorcycle when a car slammed into him from the
rear. Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics
responded and provided treatment. Los Angeles County
Sheriff’s Department Air Rescue 5 was immediately
dispatched and airlifted Romero to Los Angeles County/
USC Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.
Romero enjoyed a 23-year career with the CHP. He
entered the Academy on Jan. 11, 1982. Upon graduation he was assigned to Santa Fe Springs Area. With the
exception of an eight-month assignment in the Riverside
Area, he dedicated his entire career to Santa Fe Springs
Area.
Officer Andrew T. Stevens
(13739) Woodland, Nov. 17, 2005
Officer Andrew T. “Andy” Stevens had
made a traffic stop near the intersection of County Road 96 and Highway
16 in rural Yolo County. During the
traffic stop, Stevens was shot and killed,
and the suspect fled the scene. Passing
motorists who witnessed the incident used Stevens’ radio to
call for assistance. The suspect was arrested the next morning with the assistance of several allied agencies. Stevens
had wanted to work for the CHP since he was 10 years old.
His dream came true on May 2, 1994, when he entered the
CHP Academy. At the time of his death, he was working as
a commercial officer at Valley Division’s Commercial Unit.
The suspect was found guilty of murder and sentenced to
death.
44
Officer Erick S. Manny (16508)
Fort Tejon, Dec. 21, 2005
On Dec. 21, 2005, at approximately
11:15 a.m., Officer Erick S. Manny was
traveling northbound on Interstate 5
in Kern County (Grapevine Overpass)
in pursuit of an unknown vehicle.
Evidence suggests that Manny took
evasive action when a truck changed lanes into his path.
Manny sustained fatal injuries when his patrol vehicle
subsequently overturned. He graduated from the CHP
Academy in May 2001 and was assigned to Fort Tejon
Area where he served the remainder of his CHP career.
Lt. Michael E. Walker (9919)
Santa Cruz, Dec. 31, 2005
Lt. Michael E. Walker and Sgt. Mike
Redel (10554) responded to an 11-83,
collision report on southbound state
Route 17, south of Glenwood Drive in
the Santa Cruz Mountains. The road
was slick with rain and upon arrival they
saw a disabled vehicle that was stuck in the mud off the
right shoulder. Redel helped the vehicle’s occupant while
Walker got traffic control flares. A Caltrans truck stopped
behind the patrol unit to provide additional assistance. As
Walker prepared a flare pattern a vehicle approached. The
driver lost control of the vehicle and it struck the rear of
the Caltrans truck. The impact launched the truck forward
striking Walker. The driver was killed in the crash. CHP
and allied agency personnel performed cardiopulmonary
resuscitation on Walker at the scene and while en route
to Dominican Hospital. He died at the hospital at about
11:10 p.m. Walker was the brother of retired Officer
Robert Walker (9095).
Officer Earl H. Scott (16386)
Modesto, Feb. 17, 2006
Officer Earl H. Scott was shot and
killed on Feb. 17, 2006. A citizen
called 911 and reported that a CHP
officer appeared to have been shot
northbound on state Route 99 just
south of the city of Ripon. The call
was relayed to the Stockton dispatch, which put out a
broadcast. Officer Johnathan Chituras (14737) was working speed enforcement in the area and had just observed
Scott on a traffic stop on northbound SR 99. As Chituras
approached Scott’s location, he observed a citizen on the
shoulder frantically waving to him. Chituras immediately
realized the call involved Scott and found him lying on
the shoulder to the right front of his patrol vehicle with
a gunshot wound to his face. He is found holding a registration for a 1990 maroon Nissan Maxima. The suspect
was apprehended and later pled guilty to murder. He was
sentenced to life in prison.
Officer Gregory John Bailey
(14664) Rancho Cucamonga,
Feb. 25, 2006
Officer Gregory John Bailey
completed his B-watch assignment
and was riding his departmental
motorcycle when he made a traffic
stop on northbound Interstate 15
north of Oak Hill Road. Bailey was talking to the violator
when an alleged DUI driver struck Bailey’s motorcycle,
the violator’s vehicle, and Bailey. He was transported
to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center via helicopter
where he succumbed to his injuries. Just three months
earlier, he had returned from a 14-month tour in Iraq
with the California National Guard. The DUI suspect
received a 10-year state prison sentence for gross
vehicular manslaughter.
45
Officer Brent W. Clearman
(17843) Oakland, Aug. 6, 2006
Officer Brent W. Clearman
responded with three other officers
to a collision involving a taxi cab
on the 66th Avenue on-ramp
to Interstate 880 in Oakland.
Clearman was standing on the left
edge of the on-ramp taking measurements at the
scene when he was struck by a vehicle and thrown
approximately 100 feet. The vehicle stopped on the
on-ramp, hesitated for several seconds, then sped
away northbound on I-880. Officers gave Clearman
emergency treatment until the ambulance arrived.
The injured officer was transported to Highland
Hospital in Oakland where he died in the early
morning hours of Aug. 6. The vehicle driver pleaded
guilty to felony hit and run and was sentenced to four
years in prison.
Officer Robert F. Dickey
(17001) Winterhaven,
June 10, 2007
Officer Robert F. Dickey died in a
rollover crash on Interstate 8 three
miles from the Winterhaven Area
office. Dickey had already issued
three speed citations that morning,
including one to a motorist driving 102 mph. The U.S.
Border Patrol telephoned CHP dispatch to relate that
Dickey’s CHP vehicle had overturned after he made a
U-turn through the center divider, possibly in pursuit
of a speeder. His patrol vehicle crashed through a
perimeter fence, rolling multiple times. Investigators
subsequently discovered that the left rear tire of
Dickey’s vehicle had deflated. Dickey was alive and
responsive at the scene, but was pronounced dead
after he was airlifted to Yuma (AZ) Regional Medical
Center. The 37-year old officer, a five-year veteran of
the CHP, entered the CHP Academy in 2002. When
he graduated from the Academy, he served at Central
Los Angeles Area for a year. He then transferred to
Winterhaven Area in the same desert environment
where he grew up.
Officer D. Scott Russell (11619)
Placerville, July 31, 2007
Officer D. Scott Russell died when a
driver involved in a pursuit ran Russell
down in the median on Highway 50
near Shingle Springs while he was laying a spike strip. Russell was airlifted by
CHP helicopter to UC Davis Medical
Center in Sacramento where he was pronounced dead
several hours later. Russell, 46, was born in Castro Valley.
He graduated from the CHP Academy in October 1985
and was initially assigned to the Hayward Area. He subsequently served at the Bridgeport Area and the Field
Support Section where he participated in the Campaign
Against Marijuana Planting program. He transferred to
the Placerville Area in 2000 and served there until his
death. The offender was convicted of first-degree murder
and sentenced to death.
Officer John Miller (18414)
Dublin, Nov. 16, 2007
Officer John P. Miller died doing
what he loved — enforcing drunk
driving laws. He was driving on North
Livermore Avenue trying to locate a
reported drunk driver when he came
upon a sharp curve in the roadway,
lost control and struck a tree with the left side of his
vehicle. The Livermore Police Department later located
the suspected DUI driver. Miller was born in Stockton
and raised nearby in Linden. He attended Delta College
where he played football while earning an Associate
of Arts degree. He later attended California State
University, Sacramento and University of Phoenix and
graduated with a degree in Business Administration in
2004.
46
Officer Joseph P. Sanders
Dec. 15, 2008
Officer Joseph P. Sanders died while
deploying a flare pattern to protect
others at a collision scene on state
Route 60. It was raining heavily
when two cars coming upon the
scene became entangled, lost control and one veered
into Sanders. Sanders entered the CHP Academy in
June 2007 as a member of Cadet Training Class II-07.
Becoming a CHP officer had been a life-long dream of
his. He graduated from the Academy on Dec. 21, 2007,
and was assigned to the Santa Fe Springs Area.
Officer Jarrod Martinez (19081)
Santa Barbara, Oct. 29, 2009
Officer Jarrod Martinez died while
returning home from the Santa
Barbara Area office after testifying in
court. Martinez was riding his personal
motorcycle westbound on Steele
Street when another vehicle crossed
over double yellow lines directly into his path. Martinez
took evasive action causing him to be ejected from his
motorcycle. He was then struck by the errant vehicle
causing fatal injuries.
Officer Daniel Benavides
(15193) Border Division, May 7, 2010
Officer Daniel Benavides was flying
AIR-63, a Cessna 206 fix winged
aircraft, patrolling Imperial County.
For unknown reasons, Air 63 crashed
into the rugged terrain near Ocotillo
Wells, west of Brawley. After a heroic
search and rescue operation by several law enforcement
agencies, the military, and United States Bureau of Land
Management personnel, Benavides was found deceased in
the wreckage. Benavides, 39, was an experienced pilot for
more than 21 years.
Officer Thomas P. Coleman
June 11, 2010
Officer Thomas Coleman was
riding his departmentally assigned
motorcycle in San Bernardino County.
Coleman initiated an enforcement
stop on a motorist traveling
northbound on Mountain View, just north of Interstate
10, for a traffic violation. When the vehicle failed to
yield, a pursuit ensued. While traveling eastbound on San
Bernardino Avenue, in the city of Redlands, Coleman’s
motorcycle collided into the side of a tractor trailer. As
a result of the collision, Coleman sustained fatal injuries
and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Coleman was
33 years old.
Officer Philip Ortiz (10428)
West Los Angeles, June 22, 2010
On June 9, 2010, Officer Philip Ortiz
was conducting an enforcement stop
on the right shoulder of northbound
Interstate 405. During the
enforcement stop, Ortiz was struck
from behind by a vehicle being driven
on the right shoulder of the freeway. As a result of the
collision, he sustained major injuries. He succumbed to
his injuries on June 22, 2010. Ortiz faithfully served the
people of California as a CHP officer for 28 years.
47
Officer Justin McGrory (18606)
Barstow, June 27, 2010
Officer Justin W. McGrory was
conducting a traffic stop on a vehicle,
northbound Interstate 15, south
of Hodge Road in San Bernardino
County. During the enforcement
stop, an erratic driver, later arrested
for driving under the influence, allowed his vehicle
to veer off the roadway and strike McGrory while he
stood on the right side of the patrol vehicle. His partner,
Officer Ryan Bostrom (18541), provided medical aid
to McGrory, along with responding CHP officers. He
was transported via air ambulance to St. Mary’s Medical
Center in Apple Valley, where he was pronounced
deceased. McGrory served as a CHP officer for nearly
three years and was the son of retired Lt. Robert
McGrory (12556).
Officer Brett Oswald (13164)
Templeton, June 27, 2010
Officer Brett J. Oswald responded
to a report of a collision on South
River Road at Spanish Camp Road,
in San Luis Obispo County. Oswald
called for a tow truck and was waiting
next to his patrol vehicle when a
passing vehicle crossed over the double yellow lines and
struck the officer causing major injuries. Oswald was
transported via ambulance to Twin Cities Community
Hospital in Templeton, where he later succumbed to his
injuries. Oswald served as a CHP officer for 20 years.
The driver who hit and killed him was convicted of gross
vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, she faces a
sentence of 15 years to life in state prison.
California
Tribute to the
STATE POLICE
July 12, 1995, marked a historic occasion for
law enforcement in California— the official
consolidation of the CHP and the California
State Police.
Both agencies have impressive histories
and each brought a fine reputation and
proud tradition to the merger. But when
the Highway Patrol assumed the official
duties of the former State Police, it incurred
another obligation. During the 108-yearhistory of the State Police, three officers died
in performance of duties that are now the
duties of the Highway Patrol — protection of
government officials and state property.
State Police Officer
Raymond V. O’Connor
San Francisco, March 9, 1958
State Police Officer Raymond V.
O’Connor, 30, was a passenger in a
state police car driven by State Police
Officer Daniel M. Murphy. The two
officers had completed a patrol of
state property in San Jose and were returning to San
Francisco on the Eastshore Freeway when a motorist
driving in the opposing lane of traffic lost control, skidded 52 feet, jumped a divider strip and skidded another
30 feet before crashing into the state police vehicle.
Murphy sustained major injuries and O’Connor died just
minutes after the crash which also killed the motorist.
O’Connor had served five years with the state police and
had been a policeman with the city of Hayward before
returning to state service.
State Police Sergeant
Elias S. Enriquez
Bakersfield, Jan. 23, 1974
State Police Sgt. Elias S. Enriquez
was patrolling the California
Aqueduct in the afternoon when he
apparently slipped, fell into the canal
and drowned. Investigators believe
he was walking along the concrete lining of the canal
and wrapping illegal fishing line around his hand that
he retrieved from the canal when he fell into the water.
Enriquez was 32.
State Police Officer
David A. Jack
Los Angeles, Oct. 21, 1974
State Police Officer David A. Jack was
assigned to patrol the Los Angeles
Dispatch Center and was on the first
watch when his body was discovered
in an office doorway. Jack’s service
revolver was still in his holster and he had apparently
been ambushed by a gunman who shot the state police
officer once in the back of the head. Jack was rushed to
the hospital but died just hours later. The 21-year-old
state police officer had been appointed to state police
service only seven months earlier. The killer was later
apprehended and charged with his murder.
48
INDEX
A
Adams, Thomas........................... 5
Aleman, Fidel............................. 37
Alleyn, George M.......................26
Ames, Earle M............................. 9
Andrews, Merle L.......................25
Archer, Kenneth L......................35
Armatoski, John W.....................18
Autrey, Terry W...........................36
B
Bailey, Gregory J........................45
Beattie, Dean E.........................42
Benjamin, Clinton......................13
Benavides Dan..........................46
Berry, Raymond H..................... 14
Bisset, Thomas C........................ 8
Blecher, Roy P............................33
Blomo, Robert M. .....................25
Bond, Edward L........................... 9
Brandon, Donald E. ..................22
Brandt, Michael A......................36
Burt, Don J.................................39
Butler, George F.........................36
C
Carey, George R.........................35
Carlson, Glenn W.......................22
Carpenter, Raymond R.��26
Carr, E. R. “Ed”..........................11
Casselman, Ivan.......................... 9
Chansler, William M..................18
Clearman, Brent W....................45
Cline, Hugh C............................... 9
Coleman, Thomas..................... 47
Combs, Edward J......................... 7
Cope, Samuel G........................11
Copleman, David W...................35
Coulter, Robert J........................42
Court, William R........................26
Crook, Edwin B............................ 7
49
D
Dale, Robert D........................... 21
Daley, Eliot O..............................12
Dalziel, James B........................ 16
Daroux, John A............................. 8
Davis, Ronald E.........................22
Davis, Ted.................................... 8
DeWitt, Merle E.........................23
Dickey, Robert F.........................45
Dimon, Herbert F.......................20
Distel, Shannon L......................42
Dormaier, Gerald E....................34
Dunn, Arthur E........................... 31
Duvall, Richard D....................... 21
Dwelly, Nelson S........................13
E
Ellis Jr., George E.......................13
Ellis, John R...............................22
Elmore, Emmett L.....................12
Enright, Fredrick W....................30
Enriquez, Elias S........................48
Epperson, Frank M....................18
Esquibel, Dean J........................35
H
Hanson, J. Harold...................... 17
Harris, Gerald N.........................30
Harrison Jr., Robert H.��29
Heller, Robert C.........................12
Helmick, John C.........................36
Henderson, David R.�� 14
Hernandez, Adolfo M. ��30
Heverlie, Robert B.....................20
Hinck, A. Edward......................... 7
Hinman, Bruce T........................38
Holloway, Donald R...................34
Hoover, A. Donald........................ 9
Horine, Harold E........................33
Hubbard, Artie J.........................38
Huckaby, William D...................23
Hughes, Gary L. ........................ 31
Humburg, Jr., George A.�� 14
I
Irvine, Britt T..............................40
Irwin, David D............................ 41
Isaacs, William C....................... 24
J
F
Felio, Ernest R...........................34
Fitzpatrick Jr., Elza P.��19
Foote, William C......................... 17
Foss, Alvin L............................... 17
Frago, Walter C..........................26
Freeman, William M.��33
Frey, Edward A...........................19
Jack, David A.............................48
Jaramillo, Larry J....................... 37
Jarske, Paul C............................34
Jessing, Carl H...........................19
Jewell, Coburn B........................23
Johnson, Alfred G......................29
Johnson, Wesley D....................25
Johnston Jr., Joseph F.��20
G
K
Garlinger, Howard........................ 7
Geiger, Raymond A....................19
Gerken, Forrest C......................13
Giles, Keith M............................30
Goodman, James M.��42
Gore, Roger D............................26
Goss, Charles D.........................18
Greenly, Scott M........................40
Gregg, Lewis W.......................... 14
Griffin, Michael S....................... 24
Grow, Gary L.............................. 21
Kallemeyn, George E.��20
Kent, Steven S............................. 8
Kessler, Norman A.................... 14
Kissinger, Merrel L.................... 24
Kowolowski, Fred J.................... 11
Krings, Dale M...........................22
INDEX continued
L
La Mar, John C...........................18
Lauterwasser, Leslie��12
Layton, Leonard L...................... 24
Leatherman, Scott E.��12
Leiphardt, Jr., William F.��33
Lilly, Charles R...........................25
Linen, Stephen M...................... 41
Lydon, Christopher D.��40
M
Madere, Camile E......................20
Malin, William F.........................12
Manning, David W.....................38
Manny, Erick S...........................44
Marks, Jack E.............................. 8
Maroney, James E.....................18
Marshall, Kenneth E.��25
Marinez, Jarrod..........................46
Martinez, Johnny R....................34
Martinez, Saul...........................39
Mathews, Joseph B................... 11
Maus, Frank J............................ 16
Maxey, Walter C.........................13
Maxwell, Richard A....................38
Mayer, Robert A......................... 27
McCabe, James E......................33
McDaniel, William R.�� 9
McGrory, Justin.......................... 47
McKim, William D......................29
McMurry, Oscar D....................... 8
Mc Veigh Jr., John N.�� 37
Mengedoth, M. Paul..................12
Miller, John ...............................46
Miller, Raymond E.....................35
Minion, Ralph A.........................23
Muehlhausen, Daniel J.��40
N
Nava, Sean A............................. 41
Nelson, Ernest R.......................11
Nelson, Leonard L.....................11
Newby, Dale E............................35
Nichols, Harold E....................... 16
Nissen, Charles H........................ 9
50
O
O’Connor, James C.................... 37
O’Connor, Raymond V.��48
Olazar, Hugo..............................36
Ortiz, Philip................................ 47
Oswald, Brett............................. 47
Owen, Maurice W......................12
P
Paladini, Dana E........................29
Parker III, Edward A................... 31
Pedro, John................................ 41
Pence Jr. James E......................26
Percival, Ralph D.......................30
Perry, Francis J............................ 8
Phillips, Robert A.......................30
Pino, Paul H...............................42
Pitois, William E......................... 21
Q
Quirk, Robert J............................. 6
R
Reardon, William L.................... 17
Redding, George W................... 31
Reed, John A.............................. 14
Reed, Robert E..........................19
Reeves, Burt................................ 7
Rios, Reuben F..........................39
Roediger, Kenneth G.��29
Romero, David M.......................44
Roosevelt, Loren C.................... 16
Russell, D. Scott........................46
Russell, Floyd A........................... 7
S
Sanders, Joseph P. ...................46
Schultz, James D.......................39
Schumacher Jr., James J.��34
Scott, Earl H...............................45
Scruggs, Loren D....................... 27
Seidenberg, Nathan I.�� 27
Shewmaker, Ambers O.��26
Shows, Jerrel H.......................... 24
Shryver, E. L...............................11
Shuman, J. W............................... 7
Simpson, Richard L................... 16
Smith Jr., Charles T....................19
S cont.
Sniffen, William P......................29
Sodel, Stephen W...................... 16
Sorenson, Charles H.��22
Stamback, James F...................23
Steiner, Thomas J......................42
Steel, John L.............................. 37
Stevens, Andrew T.....................44
Story, Franke A.......................... 24
Stovall, Rick B............................40
Stucker, Joseph A......................13
Suess, Robert W........................20
T
Taylor, Mark T.............................36
Trembath, Richard H.�� 9
Tripptree, Martin J..................... 24
Turner, Alfred R.......................... 31
Turre, Jerry E.............................. 21
U
Underwood, Forest M. �� 14
V
VandeWeg, James H.�� 16
Vargas, Noreen A.......................39
Vargas, Ralph A......................... 17
W
Wagers, Gary R.......................... 41
Wales, Frederick F.....................13
Walker, Michael E......................44
Walters, John R.......................... 17
Warren, Elber D........................... 7
Washington, Ward E.��33
Wetterling, Larry L.....................29
Winney, Leonard W.................... 21
Witke, Kenneth L.......................23
Wolff III, William B..................... 31
Wood Jr., Gayle W......................33
Woods, Richard G......................25
Woodson, George A...................18
Woodworth, Charles O. ��23
51
Memory
In Loving
“...and if necessary, lay down my life,
rather than swerve from the path of duty.”
52

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