Two sheriff’s deputies were killed when their patrol car was struck broadside by a truck at the US 99 and Highway 399 intersection in Greenfield south of Bakersfield.
Deputy Samuel Harold Moore, 27, and Reserve Deputy Robert Paul Grabner, 23, were killed instantly in the collision. Moore, who was driving, and Grabner, who was graduated from the Sheriff’s Reserve academy just a month earlier, were traveling east on Highway 399 and apparently pulled out onto US 99. They made it across the highway between two trucks in the right and center lanes, but were hit by a third truck and trailer traveling south in the left lane. The patrol car was struck on the left side and pushed sideways across the intersection to the center island where it knocked down a signal light pole. It finally came to a stop on the dividing section.
At the time of the crash, Moore, who became a deputy on June 7, 1961, was on a backup call to assist another deputy, but it was not a code 3 call.
Deputy Wayne Herman Trudell, 39, died in a Bakersfield hospital from an apparent heart attack. Trudell was taken to the hospital after complaining of being short of breath and having pains in his chest.
He and another jail division deputy had just been involved in a scuffle with two prisoners who refused to enter their assigned cells.
Deputy Trudell had been transferred from patrol division about two months before after a short illness that was described by his doctor as a possible light heart attack.
Officer Dale M. Krings and his partner Officer Vincent Bianchini, were near the end of their graveyard shift and having breakfast at a coffee shop next to San Francisco International Airport when a restaurant patron confronted the officers saying “Okay, gentlemen, you’ve had it!” Without further warning he drew a rifle and opened fire, striking Officer Krings. Although mortally wounded. Krings returned fire and killed the gunman. Investigation revealed the assailant, a former mental patient, was a regular customer at the coffee shop and had been overheard on several occasions to say “I hate cops!” Krings, 34, had been a member of the Patrol for six years.
Officer Jerry E. Turre was investigating an accident scene near Fresno at 2 a.m. and was laying flares when he was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver. The accident occurred on a clear night and the flares were visible for 1/4 mile at the time of the accident, leading investigators to conclude that the hit-and-run driver was also under the influence. The 30-year-old patrolman had been a member of the Patrol for six years. Prior to joining the CHP, Turre served with the Yreka Police Department and the U.S. Marine Corps.
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.
