Officer A. Donald Hoover was traveling along the Santa Cruz-Watsonville Highway, on a stretch known to locals as “Slaughterhouse Curve,” when his motorcycle collided with an automobile that pulled out from a side road and turned in front of the patrolman. Hoover, 31, sustained critical injuries and died without regaining consciousness. Officer Hoover was a distant relative of Herbert Hoover, the former President of the United States.
Archives: Fallen Officers
Russell A. Leidy
Hugh C. Cline
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, 33, was thrown from his motorcycle. sustained critical injuries and died the following day.
Francis J. Perry
Officer Francis J. Perry was flung into a tree after both tires of his motorcycle blew while he was patrolling along Fair Oaks Boulevard near the H Street Bridge in Sacramento. The 28-year-old patrol officer had been a member of the CHP for three years.
Oscar D. McMurry
Officer Oscar D. McMurry was responding to the scene of an accident at 2:30 in the morning when the headlight of his motorcycle suddenly went out. In the darkness, McMurry lost control and struck a sign post while traveling at more that 65 m.p.h. McMurry sustained serious injuries to his chest and stomach, requiring months of treatment including two major operations. He died from complications that followed the second operation. Officer McMurry, 29, joined the Patrol on February 9, 1931 when the CHP was established in Inyo County.
James H. Mann
W.J. Johnson
William Anderson
John N. Hedge
Deputy John Hedge was assigned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Belvedere area of jurisdiction when he shot while off-duty. Deputy Hedge was enjoying a night out with friends. It was late when he drove into an alley behind a store. Stepping outside of his car for a moment, he was shot by a grocery store clerk, who mistook him for a burglar. Deputy Hedge was also confused in the darkness, returned fire and mortally wounded his assailant. Both men were dead wrong.
Alvin W. Haynes
Late in the afternoon of September 6, 1933, officer Alvin W. Haynes sat on his motorcycle at the intersection of San Gabriel and Valley boulevards watching traffic flow, when he observed a truck pass through the stop signal. Haynes initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and was making an inspection of the license plate when a car driven by a 78 year old male crashed into the back of the truck.
The collision pinned Haynes to the back of the truck causing massive injuries. Although taken to the Alhambra Health Center Emergency Hospital in nearby Alhambra, the 28-year-old officer was dead upon arrival.
The driver of the vehicle, described as being “paralyzed drunk” at the time of the collision, was tried and convicted of manslaughter and was placed on probation for ten years. His operator’s license was permanently revoked.
Officer Haynes joined the San Gabriel Police Department in 1929, coming from the Seal Beach Police Department. He was survived by his wife and two young daughters.