Sergeant Lee died on July 24, 1970 after 12 years of dedicated service to the citizens of the City of Rialto. In 1958, United States Marine Corps member, Darrell Keith Lee was hired by then Chief Sidney Jones. Lee was very well respected and a very hardworking officer. Lee was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1963, after only five years on the job. Sgt. Lee was a past president of the Rialto City Employees Association (a forerunner of the current Rialto Police Benefit Association). Sgt. Lee was a lifelong resident of the City of Rialto and was also a member of the Fontana Elks.

At approximately 2209 hours, April 6, 1970, the Rialto Police Department received a report of a suspicious man attempting to build a fire. The location was the Ace Hi Moving building located by the Santa Fe Railroad tracks between Palm Ave. and 2nd St. Sgt. Lee was dispatched solo to the call and after hearing the lone officer broadcast, the Chief of Police, Sidney Jones, also responded to the location to back Sgt. Lee.

Chief Jones arrived on scene and saw the suspect, Roy Haase, burning papers in his hand. Chief Jones had Haase place his hands on Jones’ police vehicle until Sgt. Lee arrived three minutes later. Chief Jones started to remove an envelope from Haase’s pockets and Haase began fighting with Chief Jones and Sgt. Lee. The suspect was subdued and placed into a patrol unit. The envelope contained $2,300 in cash. The suspect was then transported to the Rialto Police Department for an interview. Haase was later placed on a 72-hour mental health hold.

As soon as Haase was arrested, Sgt. Lee felt ill. Sgt. Lee was transported to San Bernardino Community Hospital, where it was learned that Sgt. Lee had suffered a massive heart attack. Sgt. Lee was then placed on medical leave.

It was later learned that Haase had at one time been committed to Patton State Mental Hospital and he had been discharged from the US Army as a paranoid schizophrenic. Haase was later charged with PC 243 – battery with injuries to a peace officer, by the Office of the District Attorney of San Bernardino County.

On July 24, 1970, Sgt. Lee was still on medical leave when he suffered a second and fatal heart attack. The California Public Employees’ Retirement System later ruled Sgt. Lee’s death was work-related and his death was as a result of in-the-line-of-duty injuries.

Detective Haynie, 30, was shot while attempting to make a narcotics arrest in Fillmore.

Haynie and three other plainclothes sheriff’s narcotics agents entered the house of a suspected drug dealer. The suspect’s 78-year-old father shot Haynie once in the chest. The shooting was determined a misunderstanding, and the father was released.

Donald served as a military police officer in the Army. Donald enjoyed hunting with fellow officers and spending time with his family.

Andrew R. Reese was a fifty – year old Reserve Garden Grove Police Officer. He was killed on May 30, 1970, at the intersection of Brookhurst and Trask in Garden Grove. Officer Reese was directing traffic when he was struck by an out of control vehicle following a traffic collision.

Deputy Gordon Erickson was assigned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Transportation Bureau at the time of his death. Deputy Gordon was the passenger deputy in a Department Transportation Bureau bus. The deputy driver of the bus made a left turn with the door open and Deputy Erickson fell out, striking his head on the pavement. He died of massive head injuries.

Officers Walter C. Frago and Roger D. Gore had been alerted by radio of a vehicle carrying someone who had brandished a weapon. They spotted the car, fell in behind, called for backup, and began the enforcement stop procedure. When the subject’s vehicle had come to a halt in a parking lot, the driver was instructed to get out and place his spread hands on the hood. Gore approached him and Frago moved to the passenger side. The right-side door suddenly swung open and the passenger sprung out, firing at Frago, who fell with two shots in his chest The gunman, later identified as Jack Twinning, then turned and fired once at Gore, who returned fire. In that moment the driver, Bobby Davis, turned and shot Gore twice at close range. Both officers died instantly: both were 23 years old.

When Officers James E. Pence, Jr. and George M. Alleyn drove in moments later, they could see neither suspects nor downed officers but immediately came under fire. Pence put out an 11-99 call (“officer needs help”) then took cover behind the passenger door. Alleyn grabbed the shotgun and positioned himself behind the driver-side door. Both officers were mortally wounded in the ensuing exchange and died. Each was 24 years old.

One suspect was hit, but both escaped. They later abandoned their vehicle and split up. Officers blanketed the area for nine hours. Twinning broke into a house and briefly held a man hostage. Officers used tear gas before storming the house, but the suspect killed himself using the shotgun he had stolen from Officer Frago. Davis was captured, stood trial and convicted on four counts of murder. He is now serving a life sentence in a California maximum security prison.

The words Newhall and tragedy became forever synonymous on April 6, 1970. On that day four young California Highway Patrol Officers-all had been on the job less than two years-lost their lives in a four minute gun battle. Sympathy, concern and interest were expressed from President Richard Nixon in the White House to Governor Ronald Reagan at the State Capitol. Calls and telegrams were received from federal, state and city police agencies throughout the United States.

In the weeks immediately after the four deaths, the emotionally charged follow-up investigation sometimes lingered on fault-finding, but ultimately achieved the desired catharsis – a completely revamped set of procedures to be followed during high-risk and felony stops, with emphasis at every Step on officer safety. If there can be such a thing as a silver lining in a cloud this dark, it would be renewed focus on officer safety – not just with the CHP but with allied police agencies the world over.

Firearms procedures have changed fundamentally; physical methods of arrest have been perfected; the police baton has become a more integral element of enforcement tactics; and new protective tools have become part of the officer’s standard equipment. Along with these have become far more comprehensive training – all combining to make uniformed personnel more alert and better prepared for the inevitable danger faced by CHP officers.