Howard Garlinger, 31, motorcycle traffic officer of the Southern California Highway Patrol, was killed when his motorcycle crashed into an automobile.

The crash occurred shortly after 5 p.m. while Garlinger was on his way to the east end of Bakersfield carrying out an order issued by Captain William Snell, head of the Kern County Traffic Patrol.

According to a police report on the crash, officer Garlinger was going north on Haley Street and another driver was going east on Nile. The other driver turned his automobile at the intersection and the traffic officer’s vehicle struck him broadside.

He was born in Iowa coming to California with his parents. He had been a member of the Kern Traffic Squad since February 1925, he left behind a wife and two sons.

Patrolman Robert B. McPherson was killed on Sept. 19, after being assaulted while on jail duty. He was attempting to break up a fight between two inmates.

As he entered the cell, one of the inmates grabbed McPherson’s nightstick and began beating him over the head with it. Other officers were able to subdue the prisoner. McPherson was transported to a local hospital with serious head injuries.

The next day he left the hospital without permission but was later found walking around dazed and confused. He was returned to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the next day.

McPherson had been with the San Diego Police Department for four years.

His wife and 12-year-old son survived him.

Officer Vierra (age 38) was shot while attempting to persuade a man who had assaulted his wife to surrender to police. The man, barricaded in his home, fired one shot from a rifle, hitting Officer Vierra in the chest killing him instantly. Officers used tear gas to force the suspect to surrender after a four hour gun battle.  The suspect was convicted of first degree murder on October 31, 1929, and sentenced to life in San Quentin Prison.