On July 27, 1951, Carl Oscar Johnson, Special Deputy Sheriff for Tulare County and a prominent California Hot Springs cattle rancher, was shot by a felony suspect whom he was trying to arrest. The suspect, John Vallier, was believed to have stolen a car belonging to a man in Felton and was hiding in a vacant CA Hot Springs cabin on Carver Ranch.
Johnson and four residents of the CA Hot Springs area drove to the cabin to arrest Vallier. When they got there, Vallier shot Johnson in the shoulder with a .22 caliber rifle, and citizen Oscar Cline responded by wounding Vallier in the arm with the same type rifle. Johnson and the suspect were rushed to the Porterville Hospital and treated by Dr. George Rey, Jr.
The suspect recovered and was released to face felony charges of assault. He was found to be insane in a Superior Court hearing and was transferred to a mental institution. Unfortunately, Johnson’s condition was determined to be critical and his fight for life began. He continued to suffer because the bullet was lodged in a severad artery and nerves in his arm were damaged. On Sept. 17, 1951, he was moved from the Porterville Hospital to one in San Francisco to receive treatment for the injured nerve, which was resulting in paralysis of his arm. Johnson underwent surgery on Sept. 29, and died the next day.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Johnson had resided in the Porterville area since 1929. Although Johnson had only been a sworn officer for the Sheriff’s Department since May 29, 1951, he was a well-respected rancher in the mountain area as well as a member of Porterville Lodge 303 and of Al Malkai Temple of the Shrine in Fresno. He left behind his wife, Katherine Johnson, two step sons, a brother and a sister.
Officer Marvin Siebert was riding his police motorcycle westbound on San Leandro Street on September 19, 1951. As he entered the intersection of 73rd Avenue, a vehicle pulled in front of his motorcycle, causing a head-on collision. Thrown over the hood of the vehicle, Siebert landed on the pavement headfirst.
Siebert remained in a semi-conscious state at the scene and during the trip to the hospital, where he died of his injuries shortly after arrival.
Siebert joined the Oakland Police Department in October 1947. He was unmarried and was survived by his mother and a sister. The driver of the vehicle was arrested for manslaughter and violation of the right-of-way.
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 cadet was thrown to the ground. Hanson, 36, died almost instantly. Cadet Hanson, 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.
On June 14, 1951, a 45-year-old wife beater attempted to run over a Constable in Yermo when the Constable attempted to arrest him. The following day, a San Bernardino County Deputy Sheriff located the suspect in Fontana and a high-speed pursuit ensued.
Ontario officers were advised the chase was coming to town on Holt Boulevard and were ordered to block the roadway. When the suspect arrived at the roadblock, he purposely drove into Officer Green’s parked vehicle at 90 miles per hour. Officer Green’s car was hurled into a cement truck and burst into flames. After a short time, Officer Green passed away at the hospital. The suspect was prosecuted for murder when he recovered from his injuries.
Officer Donald O. Nielsen was assigned to the Oakland Police Department Traffic Division as a motorcycle officer. On March 22, 1951, in the late afternoon, Nielsen was returning from his residence in San Leandro after checking on his wife, who was home ill. As he approached the intersection of 149th and MacArthur Boulevard, in San Leandro, he swerved to avoid hitting a turning motorist. Nielsen lost control of the motorcycle and was thrown 52 feet from the downed machine. He sustained severe skull fractures and died three hours after the accident.
Nielsen, 28, had received his appointment to the department on February 14, 1947. He was survived by his wife (who was pregnant at the time of the accident) and two boys.
Sheriff’s Captain Charles Joseph Ogle died following a traffic accident between his patrol car and a taxicab.
The 28-year veteran, who joined the department during the administration of Sheriff Ellis Jones, was at the side of the road near Airport Road and Grand Avenue when the taxi broadsided his vehicle.
Captain Ogle, like most who join the law enforcement profession, was a dedicated lawman. Although assigned to the department’s “Advisement Branch” which trained younger deputies, he often would take to a squad car during the midnight shift.
Ogle was praised by many county officials as being an “outstanding public servant” who laid down his life during the protection of the community he so proudly served.
Captain Ogle lies in rest at the East Lawn Cemetery at 43rd and Folsom Boulevard.
