Muse
03-01-2010, 07:54 AM
On Sunday morning, Feb 28th 2010, Deputy Ken Collier was giving a ride to a dispatcher whose vehicle had broke down while that dispatcher was on his way to work. While traveling west on Hwy 52 in the county of San Diego, CA., a county BOL was broadcasted by CHP and local agencies of a wrong way driver who was headed east in the westbound lanes.
Deputy Collier was driving a marked SUV. The preliminary reports suggest that Deputy Collier made a U Turn, and used an auxillary lane adjacent to the center divide while attemping to get the driver to stop.
Deputy Collier did not see the bridge abutement before his vehicle struck it, sending it over the rail and down some 100 feet. Deputy Collier was ejected from the vehicle but was able to put out his own 11-99.
Besides Deputies, Officers from all the surrounding agencies responded and tumbled down the side of the cliff on foot in the dark and cold to get to Ken. Ken was a very tall and large man, having to use an SUV because he did not fit in a sedan. It was hell walking the backboard up the side of the cliff and watching Ken die as we had him in our arms. Despite our best efforts, Ken died at the hospital. The dispatcher will make a full recovery.
The CHP MAIT team along with a SDSO Traffic Reconstructionist Team are doing parallel investigations. The suspect was arrested and will be charged as the law allows.
The point I want to stress here is my thanks and admiration to the CHP officers, supervisors, and all other LEO's who responded in the fog and darkness and put themselves in danger for a man they did not know.
Despite the various differences in Policy and Procedure, mission functions, and politcal climate, all of you were able to set that crap aside and make choices where saving two lives was the only basis for your reasons. Thank you for giving your muscle. Thank you for going down a cliff in the dark based on faith - that others were able to make it down because you couldn't see the bottom with your own eyes. Thank you for grabbing a leg or an arm without gloves because you knew that Ken's blood was like your own brother's blood.
Because Ken died I have to put my faith in God's decisions. Because of how you all responded I have renewed faith in the people of our profession.
Deputy Collier was driving a marked SUV. The preliminary reports suggest that Deputy Collier made a U Turn, and used an auxillary lane adjacent to the center divide while attemping to get the driver to stop.
Deputy Collier did not see the bridge abutement before his vehicle struck it, sending it over the rail and down some 100 feet. Deputy Collier was ejected from the vehicle but was able to put out his own 11-99.
Besides Deputies, Officers from all the surrounding agencies responded and tumbled down the side of the cliff on foot in the dark and cold to get to Ken. Ken was a very tall and large man, having to use an SUV because he did not fit in a sedan. It was hell walking the backboard up the side of the cliff and watching Ken die as we had him in our arms. Despite our best efforts, Ken died at the hospital. The dispatcher will make a full recovery.
The CHP MAIT team along with a SDSO Traffic Reconstructionist Team are doing parallel investigations. The suspect was arrested and will be charged as the law allows.
The point I want to stress here is my thanks and admiration to the CHP officers, supervisors, and all other LEO's who responded in the fog and darkness and put themselves in danger for a man they did not know.
Despite the various differences in Policy and Procedure, mission functions, and politcal climate, all of you were able to set that crap aside and make choices where saving two lives was the only basis for your reasons. Thank you for giving your muscle. Thank you for going down a cliff in the dark based on faith - that others were able to make it down because you couldn't see the bottom with your own eyes. Thank you for grabbing a leg or an arm without gloves because you knew that Ken's blood was like your own brother's blood.
Because Ken died I have to put my faith in God's decisions. Because of how you all responded I have renewed faith in the people of our profession.