FUNERAL SERVICES

Services for CHP Officer Tom Coleman will be held Thursday, June 17, at 10:00 a.m. at Redlands Bowl, 25 Grant St, Redlands, CA 92373. A reception is being planned for immediately following the funeral.

Officer Coleman (age 33) was killed in a crash on June 11, while pursuing a fleeing suspect in Redlands.  At approximately 6:28 a.m., Officer Coleman initiated a traffic stop on a silver Ford Focus for a traffic violation in the city of Redlands. The Ford Focus fled from Officer Coleman, committing numerous traffic violations at a high rate of speed. Officer Coleman had his lights and siren activated.

As the suspect headed eastbound on San Bernardino Avenue near Nevada Street, Officer Coleman advised that the suspect was still at a high rate of speed. The CHP then began to receive citizen 911 calls that a motorcycle officer had been involved in a collision. CHP officers responded to the intersection of San Bernardino Ave and Alabama Street to find that Officer Coleman had been involved in a serious traffic collision with a big rig truck in the intersection.

The suspect continued to flee eastbound on San Bernardino Avenue. The suspect then turned southbound on Buckeye Street and was involved in a collision at Lugonia Avenue near the Citrus Plaza. Four suspects in the vehicle attempted to flee on foot but were captured by CHP officers soon after.

Officer Coleman was pronounced deceased at the scene.  He is survived by his wife Jamie, their two-and-a-half year old son, and 8 month old daughter, his mother and sister.  Officer Coleman was a seven-year veteran of the CHP.

The driver of the Ford Focus, Richard Perez (20) has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Officer Tom Coleman.

Contribution information for CHP Officer Tom Coleman is as follows:

CAHP CREDIT UNION San Dimas Branch
402 W. Arrow Hwy. Ste 7
San Dimas, CA 91773
800-451-2247

Make checks payable to:
JAMIE COLEMAN
ACCOUNT # 119677
Write on check: “TOM COLEMAN MEMORIAL FUND”