Line of Duty

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

​On February 15, 2011, California Highway Patrol Officer Thomas Adams (#19365) of the Garberville Area office was killed in a collision while traveling on U.S. 101 just south of the town of Piercy California. Officer Adams was 24 years of age. He grew up in the San Francisco area and is survived by his parents Bruce and Karen Adams, and his brother, Sean Adams. His mother, Karen, is a public safety dispatcher for the CHP who is assigned to the Humboldt Communications Center. Officer Adams was assigned to the Oakland Area office upon graduation from the Academy on January 23, 2009 and transferred to the Garberville Area office September 1, 2010.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

​On October 29, 2009, at approximately 1210 hours, while returning home from the Area office after testifying in court, Officer Jarrod Martinez, I.D. 19081, was riding his personal motorcycle W/B on Steele Street at Foxen Canyon Road when another vehicle crossed over double yellow lines directly into his path. Officer Martinez took evasive action causing him to be ejected from his motorcycle. Officer Martinez was then struck by the errant vehicle causing fatal injuries. He is survived by his wife, daughter, sister, and his parents.

Saturday, December 31, 2005

​Lieutenant Michael E. Walker was struck and killed by a vehicle while at the scene of an earlier accident on state Highway 17 near Santa Cruz.
A Caltrans employee was also struck and seriously injured by the vehicle when the driver lost control at approximately 10:15 PM. The driver of the vehicle was killed in the accident.

Lieutenant Walker is survived by his wife, two daughters, and three brothers. One of Lieutenant Walkers brothers, Robert (Bob) Walker, is an Officer of the Department assigned to the Auburn Area.

Thursday, November 17, 2005

​On November 17, 2005, Officer Andrew Stevens made a traffic stop near the intersection of County Road 96 at Highway 16. During the traffic stop, Officer Stevens was shot and killed. The suspect subsequently fled the scene. Passing motorists who witnessed the incident used Officer Stevens’ radio to call for assistance. 

The suspect was arrested early the next morning with the assistance of several allied agencies. 

Officer Stevens is survived by his wife.

CHP Officer Killed on Side of Road

Thursday, November 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 after Academy training.

CHP Officer Drowned After Vehicle Submerged in Creek

Tuesday, February 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.

CHP Officer Shot to Death

Sunday, September 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 the Crescent City Area office. A description provided by the security guard led to the capture of Felio’s killer.

CHP Officer Killed by Out-of-Control Truck

Monday, July 10, 1978

Officer Ward E. Washington was killed when a truck blew a tire and the driver lost control, hurtling the truck off the Pomona Freeway and striking Officer Washington as he was having lunch at an outdoor restaurant. Ironically, Washington, 39, had been assigned to reduce truck accidents by inspecting the vehicles in truck yards and on the roads for safety violations.

CHP officer died after on-duty heart attack

Monday, 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 heart attacks and died. Officer Parker, 33, was an 11-year veteran of the CHP.

Monday, 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-year-old patrol officer was a 17-year CHP veteran and had worked most of his career out of the Redwood City Area office.

State Police Sergeant slipped and drowned while patrolling the California Aqueduct

Wednesday, January 23, 1974

State Police Sergeant 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. Sergeant Enriquez was 32.

CHP Officer Killed in Collision

Thursday, April 5, 1973

Officer William P. Sniffen was pursuing a speeding motorist on the Nimitz Freeway when the vehicle rear-ended another car that was stopped for a previous collision and then 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.

CHP Officer Killed in Collision

Tuesday, February 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 service with the CHP, had been assigned to San Jose for 17 years. Before joining the CHP, McKim had been a firefighter with the city of Modesto.

CHP Officer Killed From Ricocheted Bullet

Tuesday, July 4, 1972

Officer Dana E. Paladini and a sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene of a vehicle accident 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 Officer Paladini, who died shortly afterward. The 25-year-old patrol officer had been a member of the CHP for only nine months.

CHP officer dies of heart attack after pursuit

Sunday, April 11, 1971

On April 10, 1971, Officer Robert J. Quirk, #1771 was involved in a foot pursuit of three subjects. After the pursuit Officer Quirk was sweating, skin was pale, and his breathing was heavy. Officer Quirk continued to feel ill and tired. On April 11, 1971, Officer Quirk suffered a heart attack and passed away. Officer Quirk is survived by his wife Patricia, and his five children Michael, Shelia, Dan, Phil, and Ken.

CHP officer shot by motorist

Tuesday, February 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 proved to be stolen. Later, as officers closed in to capture Carpenters 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 CHP in 1956, Officer Carpenter had spent nine years in the U.S. Air Force.

CHP officer shot by motorist

Monday, November 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. Officer Shewmaker had been a CHP officer for nine months.

CHP Officer Killed in Collision

Wednesday, 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 patrolman. Officer Woods was a member of the CHP for almost three years and had served in Central Los Angeles before being assigned to Baldwin Park

CHP Officer Killed in Collision

Tuesday, January 9, 1968

Officer Kenneth E. Marshall was probably 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 patrolman 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.

CHP Officer Killed on Side of Road

Sunday, October 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-year-old patrol officer then fled but was apprehended within minutes. Before joining the CHP in 1965, Officer Lilly had served with the San Francisco Police Department.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Thursday, August 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 patrolman had served with the Patrol for eight years and was a police officer with the city of Rialto prior to joining the CHP.

CHP Officer Succumbs to Injuries

Tuesday, December 14, 1965

Officer Martin J. Tripptree’s motorcycle collided with an automobile 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. Officer Tripptree served in Barstow after graduating from the Academy in 1956 and then transferred to Sacramento in 1957.

CHP Officer killed while assisting accident victim

Wednesday, December 23, 1964

Officer Jerrel H. Shows responded to an accident 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 accident victim he had been assisting sustained critical injuries. The drunk driver was uninjured. Officer Shows, 28, had just graduated from the Academy three weeks earlier.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Wednesday, August 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 an automobile. Woodworth sustained serious leg injuries from the impact of the crash, but his condition did not appear life-threatening. As he was recovering, Officer Woodworth suffered a fatal embolism attributed to the accident two weeks earlier.

CHP Officer Killed While Parked on Side of Road

Saturday, February 1, 1964

Officer Coburn B. Jewell had parked his patrol car on the highway shoulder with the amber light burning. 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 m.p.h. when it struck and the force of the impact killed Officer Jewell.

CHP Officer Killed While Attempting to Save 3 Children

Sunday, January 12, 1964

Sergeant 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.

CHP Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Tuesday, December 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-year-old patrolman, the 20-year-old driver and his 21-year-old passenger were all killed instantly. Officer DeWitt was a 21-year veteran of the CHP.

CHP Officer Killed in Collision

Tuesday, November 5, 1963

Officer John R. Ellis and his partner, Officer Delton S. Lawless, were responding to an accident call 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 and Lawless, the driver, was able to extricate himself and his partner from the wrecked patrol car. Officer Ellis had been killed instantly. The 35-year-old patrol officer had been a member of the CHP for five years.

CHP Officer Killed in Airplane Crash

Thursday, January 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 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. Officer Grow, 28, had been a patrol officer for four years.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Thursday, 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 pick-up 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 the Anaheim Area office since graduation in 1958.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Thursday, November 12, 1959

Officer Leonard W. Winney was pursuing a speeding motorist on the 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 the Anaheim Area office.

CHP Officer Killed in Collision

Sunday, October 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 patrolman. Johnston struck the left front side of the vehicle and he died a short time later. The motorist was charged with manslaughter. Officer Johnston, 31, had just been appointed to the Patrol the previous March and the El Monte Area was his first assignment.

CHP Officer Killed While Pursuing Speeder

Friday, December 23, 1955

Officer George A. Woodson was pursuing a Christmas-holiday speeder 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.

CHP Officers Killed in Gun Battle

Friday, May 27, 1955

Officer James E. Maroney responded to a call for assistance put out by the Modoc County Sheriff in apprehending an armed suspect. As officers closed in, the suspect opened fire and Officer Maroney was killed during the ensuing gun battle. The 33-year-old patrolman had transferred to Alturas from Fresno just two months earlier.

CHP Officer Killed by Drunk Driver

Friday, 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.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Monday, 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 blowout or a crack in the pavement caused the patrolman to lose control and swerve into the path of the oncoming car. Foote, who joined the CHP in 1948, had just returned to the Patrol after a stint as a Marine Corps Reservist in the Korean War.

CHP Officer Killed by Drunk Driver

Sunday, October 20, 1946

Officer William L. Reardon was 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 Highway Patrol. 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 County Squad.

CHP Officer Kidnapped and Murdered

Tuesday, September 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 Officer Sodel.

CHP Officer shot 9 times

Wednesday, 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 suddenly pulled a revolver and shot the patrolman nine times at close range. Although mortally wounded, Roosevelt gave investigating officers a detailed description of the gunman before he died. He had been a patrolman since 1943.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Thursday, 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 30-year-old officer suffered critical injuries and died just hours later. VandeWeg had previously served with the Redondo Beach Police Department and with the Burbank Police Department until joining the CHP in 1943.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Thursday, 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.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Thursday, December 7, 1944

Officer David R. Henderson was killed when his motorcycle collided with an automobile driven by a motorist who 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.

Motorcycle Officer Gregg killed in collision

Saturday, November 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.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Saturday, July 10, 1943

Officer Nelson S. Dwelly was patrolling with CHP Officer J.C. Glass when Glass saw the wheel of Dwelly’s motorcycle start to wobble and then the motorcycle turned over several times with Dwelly still in the seat. The 37-year-old patrol officer had been a member of the CHP for less than one year.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Sunday, February 7, 1943

Officer Frederick Wales was patrolling on his motorcycle when he spotted a speeding motorist. Wales initiated a high-speed pursuit of the speeder, but lost control of his motorcycle and crashed.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Thursday, January 7, 1943

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 patrolman had been a member of the CHP for six years.

CHP Sergeant Killed

Saturday, July 18, 1942

Sergeant Emmett L. Elmore, a veteran of 23 years of police and traffic officer service, received his promotion in rank 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 California Highway Patrol absorbed the county units in 1929.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Sunday, May 3, 1942

Officer Scott 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 patrolman was a member of the CHP for only one year.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Friday, 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 automobile, killing the patrolman instantly. The driver was jailed and charged with drunk driving and negligent homicide.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Tuesday, January 16, 1940

Officer Samuel G. Cope was patrolling near the city limits of West Covina when an automobile swung into his line of traffic and crashed head-on into Cope’s 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.

CHP Officer Suffers Cerebral Hemorrhage

Thursday, August 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 country jail, Mathews returned to the CHP office where he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. The 32-year-old patrol officer was a native of Napa and had been a member of the CHP for nine years.

CHP Sergeant Hit on Side of Road

Thursday, January 27, 1938

Sergeant E.R. “Ed” Carr, 57, was investigating a stalled vehicle on the Golden Gate Highway Pass near Fresno when he was struck and killed by a passing automobile. The 17-year-old driver of the automobile claimed he did not see Carr as he walked toward the stalled vehicle, although investigating officers found a lighted flashlight in the patrolman’s hand. Carr was a 12-year CHP veteran and had just been promoted to the rank of sergeant one day before he was killed.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Friday, December 11, 1936

Officer Earle 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. Officer Ames was thrown from his motorcycle and killed.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Saturday, August 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 fifteen feet off the roadway after striking the rear of a truck he was attempting to pass. The 33-year-old patrolman died hours later from his injuries. Casselman was a seven-year member of the Yolo County Squad.

CHP Officer Killed in Motorcycle Collision

Sunday, August 26, 1934

Officer Hugh C. Cline was patrolling at night along the Roosevelt Highway just north of Santa Monica Boulevard when he collided with an automobile. Cline, 43, was thrown from his motorcycle, sustained critical injuries and died the following day.

CHP Officer Shot and Killed

Friday, March 10, 1933

Officer Stephen 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 the patrolman instantly. The killer was captured, stood trial and was convicted of murder. He was sentenced to death and executed at Folsom Prison in 1936.

CHP Officer Killed in Collision

Sunday, January 15, 1933

Officer Floyd A. Russell, 35, was chasing a speeder on Pomona Valley Boulevard when he was struck by an automobile 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.

CHP Officer Killed in Collision

Friday, 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 automobile. Crook was thrown from his motorcycle and killed instantly. He had been a CHP patrolman for only eight days. Officer Crook worked previously as an officer for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in their Hollywood Division before joining the CHP.

CHP Sergeant and World War I Veteran Killed in Collision

Monday, September 21, 1931

Sergeant 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 a patrolman for six years and served as acting commander of the Marin Squad during the absence of the captain. Sergeant Reeves was also a World War I veteran.

CHP Officer Killed on Famosa Highway

Monday, September 8, 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 patrolman was hurled 70 feet and killed instantly.