California Highway Patrol

IN THE LINE OF DUTY

California Highway Patrol

CHP-patch-100

W. R. Valentine
No Photo Available
End of Watch: May 30, 1925
California Highway Patrol
Officer Valentine was killed in a motorcycle accident while pursuing a speeding vehicle.

End of Watch: June 5, 1998
California Highway Patrol

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Officer Christopher Lydon was killed in a single car crash as he and his partner were responding to a call of a drunk driver. As they were responding the cruiser went over an embankment, crashed through two fences, rolled over, and struck a tree on the driver’s side. Officer Lydon was killed instantly but his partner was able to free himself. Both airbags deployed and both officers were believed to be wearing seatbelts.

Officer Lydon had served with the agency for two years. He is survived by his parents.

Sean Alexander Nava
End of Watch: October 28, 2000
California Highway Patrol

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Officer Sean Nava was killed after he was struck by a drunk driver while assisting at a previous accident on I-5 in the San Diego area.

Officer Nava was standing in the median approximately six feet from the travel lanes when the incident occurred. He was flown to a local hospital where he died a short time later.

After the collision, the suspect fled the scene, but was later arrested and charged with DUI, hit and run, and manslaughter. A passenger in the vehicle stated that the suspect was aware that he hit something on the freeway before he fled the scene.
In 1999, Officer Nava had been awarded the Spirit of Courage Award for his attempts to save a man from a burning vehicle.

Officer Nava had been employed with the California Highway Patrol for 12 years, and is survived by his wife and two children, ages 4 and 7.

Stephen Michael Linen Jr.
End of Watch: August 12, 2001
California Highway Patrol

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Officer Stephen Linen was killed when he was struck by a drunk driver at approximately 0600 hours while making a traffic stop on I-5, near Leucadia Boulevard, in San Diego County.
He was struck as he was speaking with the driver of the car he had stopped. The drunk driver collided into the rear of his patrol car, which burst into flames, pushing it into Officer Linen.
He was flown to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The driver, who was returning from an evening in Mexico, was apprehended on suspicion of drunk driving.
Officer Linen had served with the California Highway Patrol for 7 years. He is survived by his parents and a brother.

Dean Edward Beattie
End of Watch: November 19, 2003
California Highway Patrol

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Officer Dean Beattie was killed while attempting to pass a slow-moving truck on Route 163, near I-8, in San Diego County at 1255 hours.

Officer Beattie had been following the truck when he activated his emergency lights. He accelerated to approximately 60 mph and attempted to pass it on the right hand shoulder. His BMW patrol motorcycle struck the truck near the right-hand wheel well and he was thrown to the ground. Since Officer Beattie did not make radio contact prior to the accident, it was not known why he activated his emergency equipment.

He was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

Officer Beattie had served with the California Highway Patrol for 24 years, and had previously served with the United States Marine Corps. He is survived by his wife, six children, his parents, two brothers, and a sister.

Daniel Nava Benavides
End of Watch: May 7, 2010
California Highway Patrol

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Officer Daniel Benavides was killed when the department airplane he was piloting crashed.
He was flying a Cessna 206 on observation patrol for a speed detail near Highway 78 when it went down about 9:30 am. The crash occurred in the desert near Highway 78 and Split Mountain Road, in Imperial County.
Officer Benavides had served with the California Highway Patrol for 13 years and was assigned to the Border Division Thermal Air Operations Unit. Officer Benavides is survived by his wife and daughter.

Officer Merrel L. Kissinger
California Highway Patrol
End of Watch Sunday, February 14, 1965

KissingerOfficer Merrel Kissinger was shot and killed by a prisoner he had just arrested for drunk driving near Oceanside. During the transport to the San Diego County Jail, the suspect opened fire through the patrol car’s screen with a .25 caliber handgun that was concealed when he was searched by another officer. The suspect was apprehended after failing to break out of the patrol car when the car crashed.

The 35-year-old suspect, father of 13 children, was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life on May 14, 1965. He was a free man in 1978.

Officer Kissinger had been with the California Highway Patrol for 14 years.