Darrel D. Cate, a forty-five year old Buena Park Police Detective was murdered on September 21, 1972. Detective Cate and his partner became separated while attempting to identify an alleged felony suspect at a residence. Detective Cate had entered the house when gun shots were heard. He was found, gun in hand, fatally wounded.

Officer Alfred G. Johnson had just stopped a vehicle for speeding and was exiting his vehicle to begin the enforcement contact, when an oncoming motorist struck the left front of the stopped vehicle, then hit and killed Johnson. The 29-year-old patrol officer had been a member of the CHP for six years and had previously served in San Leandro. Los Banos and Merced Area offices.

Officer Kenneth G. Roediger and his partner, Officer Norman R. Roy, stopped a motorist and had him outside the vehicle when a struggle began. Roediger managed to force the motorist to the ground and had him in a position to be handcuffed, when the man suddenly grabbed Roediger’s gun and shot the patrolman. Officer Roy then shot and killed the assailant. Officer Roediger, 24, had been a member of the CHP since 1970 and was the son of Leslie R. Roediger, a retired CHP officer.

Officer Dana E. Paladini and a sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene of a vehicle accident involving a horse trailer. One animal suffered a broken leg, and the owners asked the officers to shoot the horse. The deputy sheriff fired three shots – one ricocheted off the trailer wall striking Officer Paladini, who died shortly afterward. The 25-year-old patrol officer had been a member of the CHP for only nine months.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Charles Ley was assigned to the Industry Station at the time of his death. Deputy Ley was in pursuit of a traffic violator on the San Gabriel River Freeway when he lost control of his patrol car. The patrol car rolled over an embankment, landing upside down, critically injuring Deputy Ley.

Officer Kenneth E. Walters died on Monday, March 27, 1972, in a traffic accident. He was a member of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Southwest Division.