Officer Gary O. Elkins and his partner responded to an unknown trouble, “possible prowler” on January 1, 1976. As he walked to the front of the location he was ambushed and shot in the head. Elkins died at the scene.

Officer Alfred R. Turner was patrolling on Interstate 5 near Los Banos when he stopped a vehicle at 10 p.m. because the motorist was driving with a burned-out headlight. Turner was unaware that the car had just been stolen in San Leandro. As the officer stepped out of his patrol car, the motorist exited his vehicle and they began walking toward each other when the motorist suddenly pulled a .357 magnum revolver and opened fire. Turner was hit with three bullets, but returned fire and hit his assailant with five shots. Although critically wounded the officer managed to return to his patrol car and radio for help. Officer Turner, 35, succumbed to his wounds and died 12 days later. Officer Turner was a seven-year member of the CHP. His killer recovered from his wounds and was charged with murder.

Officer Franke N. Lewis, after arriving home after a night on duty on December 13, 1975, went to investigate an “unknown trouble” situation occurring in a vehicle parked near his Long Beach home. Lewis was shot and killed by an unknown assailant.

Sergeant Collins, 35, died when the helicopter he was flying crashed in the Santa Clara Riverbed.

Tom started the helicopter unit for the sheriff’s department in 1971.

Prior to working for the department, he flew helicopters for the Navy. As a Naval Lieutenant, Tom was the youngest commissioned officer at that time.

On October 15, 1975, at 11:15 a.m., an off-duty Ontario officer observed a wanted homicide suspect walking along the Interstate 10 freeway. Several officers were assigned to the area, one of which began taking rifle rounds as he approached and adjacent apartment complex. The suspect had made his way to this complex. Officer Hyche approached the area from the opposite direction, and turned into this same apartment complex. He exited his vehicle in a parking area to wave down a gardener to ask for information. As he did so, the suspect fired from the corner of one of the apartments, striking Hyche in the chest. Two other officers risked their lives to rescue Hyche, but they were too late. The suspect was later talked out of hiding and was successfully prosecuted for murder.