Officer Gary L. Grow was killed when the plane he was piloting collided with another aircraft. Grow was flying one of two planes leased by the Patrol for aircraft observational studies over U.S. Highway 99 and other highways. The aircraft test was a special assignment for Grow and he was detached from his area specifically for the project. Officer Grow, 28, had been a patrol officer for four years.

Constable Dick Valdez was killed instantly Jan. 2, 1962, when his car skidded off Highway 99 near Clayton Avenue and struck a large tree in the center of the divider strip.

California Highway Patrolmen Charles Hess and Arthur Kannady who said that Valdez passed them a few minutes earlier near Malaga discovered the accident. The accident occurred a few minutes before 10 p.m. Valdez was alone in his car and was driving in the southbound lane. He was thrown from his car and was dead upon arrival at the Fresno County General Hospital.

The officers claimed there was no indication of a law violation. They reported that the car driven by the constable left skid marks on the pavement, but they did not know the direct cause of the accident.

Funeral services for Valdez were held in the Fowler Funeral Chapel on Jan. 6.

Valdez, a native of Tres Pinos, San Benito County, was born on Sept. 7, 1921. He was a World War II veteran and had lived in the Fowler area for the past ten years. He was a member of the Fowler American Legion Post, the Fowler Chamber of Commerce, the Fowler Fishing Club, the International Footprinters, and the California Judges and Constables Association. He served for a number of years as a member of the Fowler Police Department. In 1957 he was appointed constable by the board of supervisors to succeed E.T. York. In 1960 he was re-elected to serve a full term as constable.

Valdez is survived by his wife, Lucy; two daughters, Nancy and Carol; mother, Ruth Alvise of San Jose; two brothers and a sister.

The Rev. Sarkis Papajian officiated at Valdez’ funeral services. Concluding services were held in the Fowler Cemetery.

Officer Lyle Wayne Larrabee, a 26-year-old police officer, was fatally wounded when his chest crushed by his own patrol car, which landed on him in a freak accident.

Funeral services for Lyle Wayne Larrabee, 26, second Palm Springs police officer to receive fatal injuries in line of duty during 1961, were held in the Desert Chapel, with Rev. Jack B. Morrow, pastor, officiating.

Larrabee died at 7:30 a.m. Monday, January 1, 1962 in Desert Hospital from injuries sustained the previous Saturday. The young patrolman, who completed a year of service with the city police force on the day of his death, was injured when his heavy patrol car crashed down on him as he lay at the west side of North Palm Canyon Drive at Tamarisk Road. Larrabee had swerved into the curb and crashed into a steel utility pole to miss an unidentified white car which pulled in from of him from Tamarisk Road during a chase.

The police cruiser crashed squarely into the utility pole on the curb, caving in the front of the car and tossing Larrabee to the street. The car bounded back, and skidded around toward him with the right rear wheel in the air. Approximately 10 pedestrians rushed to the scene to lift the vehicle from his body, police Sgt. Nick Maff reported.

A signal section chief in the United States Marine Corps from 1953 to 1957, Larrabee was a Chicago high school graduate. He was the police liaison with the Radio Amateurs Transmitting Society here, a volunteer member of the Civil Defense net. Police Chief A. G. Kettmann termed him “one of our most promising officers.”

Patrolman Larrabee was survived by his widow, Marlene, and his mother, Mrs Winifred Larrabee of Palm Springs.

On the evening of December 15, 1961, Constable Iver Johanson suffered a fatal heart attack while struggling with an intoxicated, combative suspect.

“Officer Dies in Struggle with Suspect” read the front page headline of the December 21, 1961 Selma Enterprise.  The article explained that while patrolling through the Freeway Lanes bowling alley parking lot, located at Dinuba Avenue and Highway 99, Constable Johanson observed a hit and run accident involving a vehicle driven by Robert Charles Ortiz.  Ortiz failed to stop and exited the parking lot with Johanson in pursuit.  Constable Johanson activated his vehicle’s emergency equipment and followed Ortiz a short distance onto Highway 99 where Ortiz finally yielded.

Deputy Constable Alex Lopez, who was on foot near Freeway Lanes, observed the vehicle stop and Constable Johanson having conversation with Ortiz.  Johanson successfully removed the combative Ortiz from his vehicle and managed to handcuff one of Ortiz’s hands when Ortiz increased his resistance.  Lopez went to Johanson’s assistance.  A fight ensued during which Constable Johanson was attacked with his own blackjack.  Johanson was knocked to the ground and was semi-conscious while Lopez and Ortiz fought.  Lopez recovered Johanson’s blackjack and used it to subdue Ortiz.  Ortiz was booked into the Fresno County Jail on numerous charges.

Constable Johanson was transported to Selma District Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Iver Johanson was born in Sweden on June 14, 1904, immigrated with his family to the United States in 1905, and grew up in Fresno County.  Johanson, a twenty-year law enforcement veteran had been a police officer for the City of Selma and was elected Constable in 1950.  Johanson was survived by his wife and stepson.

Deputy Roger Bauman and his partner, Warren Lee were following up on an attempt robbery that had just occurred at a bar on Auburn Boulevard. A short time later they observed the suspect vehicle and initiated a short pursuit.

The suspect made several attempts to ram the patrol car before Deputy Bauman was able to force the suspect to stop.

Deputy Bauman pointed his service weapon at the suspect from the patrol car as Deputy Lee got out and ran around the back of the unit in an effort to approach the suspect vehicle. As he did so he heard two shots.

An exchange of gun fire followed which left Deputy Bauman gravely injured.

The suspect died at the scene.

Deputy Roger Bauman died a short time later at the hospital after all attempts to save his life failed. The Roger Bauman Facility at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center is named in honor of this fallen officer.

Deputy Bauman is buried at East Lawn Memorial Park on Folsom Boulevard and 43rd Street.

Detective Timothy Harnett was assigned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Vice Bureau at the time of his death. Detective Harnett suffered a heart attack while in foot pursuit of a vice suspect and subsequently died.

Fresno County Sheriff’s Sergeant Richard T. Bain, 38, died Nov. 16, 1961, when his marked unit crashed into the front bedroom of a home on East Cortland Avenue in Fresno.

Mr. and Mrs. Clifford A. Galpin, owners of the house, had gone from the bedroom into the living room moments before the accident.

The impact crushed a section of the wall and pushed the lower part of the wall about a foot into the bedroom. The Galpins’ bed, though jarred out of position, was not damaged. Sheriff Melvin E. Willmirth said Bain had a tooth pulled at 10:30 p.m. then returned to duty. Willmirth said it does not appear the tooth extraction had anything to do with the accident.

“It looks like it was just a case of fatigue,” Willmirth said, theorizing that Bain possibly fell asleep at the wheel.

Bain headed a three-man detail assigned to follow up investigations of misdemeanors. Willmirth said the nature of the detail made it necessary for Bain to keep long and irregular hours.

Bain had been a sheriff’s officer for 10 years.

“He was a fine investigator,” Willmirth said of Bain. “He was one of those natural officers who could pick up where the ordinary investigators would leave off. He had done a terrific job on his present detail. His loss will be deeply felt in the department. “My husband and I were sitting in the living room,” explained Mrs. Galpin, “when we heard this awful noise. My first thought was that the cooler was falling off the roof.”

“It sounded like the crash was on the roof. I don’t know why. Anyhow the cooler was the first thing I thought of. But the noise was tremendous, I’m still shaking.”

“My husband and I saw the car and could hear a man moaning. There seemed to be a lot of dust floating around, I ran next door and called the police and ambulance. It was good luck for us that we were in the living room and not in bed.”

Officers said Bain was pinned in the car. Firemen helped the police remove him. He was dead on arrival at the Fresno County General Hospital.

Bain, 38, is survived by his widow, Betty; three children; and his mother, Mrs. Eva Bain, of Greensboro, NC.

He was a World War II marine and was appointed a deputy sheriff in 1951. He became a sergeant in November of last year. He had headed the follow-up detail for about eight months, officers said.