# [ODMP] California Highway Patrol, California ~ February 25, 2006



## Guest (Feb 26, 2006)

A Officer with the California Highway Patrol was killed in the line of duty on February 25, 2006

*http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=18179*


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## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

The Officer Down Memorial Page Remembers . . .






















Officer Gregory John Bailey 
*California Highway Patrol
California*
End of Watch: Saturday, February 25, 2006

Biographical Info
*Age:* 36
*Tour of Duty:* 10 years
*Badge Number:* 14664

Incident Details
*Cause of Death:* Vehicular assault
*Date of Incident:* Saturday, February 25, 2006
*Weapon Used*: Automobile; Alcohol involved
*Suspect Info:* Not available

Officer Gregory Bailey was struck and killed by a drunk driver while conducting a traffic stop on I-15 in Victorville.

He had approached the stopped vehicle on the passenger side to speak with the driver. As he did so, another vehicle traveled onto the shoulder at a high rate of speed and struck Officer Bailey's motorcycle, the stopped vehicle, and the officer.

The vehicle struck with such force that the stopped vehicle was pushed back into the freeway and overturned. All three parties were flown to a local hospital where Officer Bailey succumbed to his injuries.

Officer Bailey had served with the California Highway Patrol for 10 years, and was assigned to the Rancho Cucamungo office. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, two sons, and parents.

Agency Contact Information
California Highway Patrol
PO Box 942898
Sacramento, CA 94298

Phone: (916) 657-7261

* _Please contact the agency for funeral information_

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## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*California Highway Patrol Officer Struck, Killed On-Duty*

*MEGAN BLANEY*
_San Bernadino County Sun_

The commissioner of the California Highway Patrol ordered a statewide internal review of the department, in response to Saturday night's death of a Rancho Cucamonga station officer on Interstate 15, the sixth death of an on-duty CHP officer in the last five months.

CHP Commissioner Mike L. Brown flew in from Sacramento for a news conference Sunday after he heard that the department had lost another on-duty officer.

A suspected drunken driver crashed into Gregory John Bailey, 36, at 10:30 p.m. after Bailey pulled over a pickup truck on Interstate 15 north of Oak Hills Road at the top of the Cajon Pass. Bailey, who had recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, was flown to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, where he died.

Bailey, a motorcycle officer from Victorville, was on his way home after a day of controlling traffic at the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races at California Speedway in Fontana, according to CHP officials. He pulled over a Ford Ranger, thinking the driver might have been driving under the influence.

The driver turned out to be sober, authorities said, but another suspected drunken driver, 20-year-old Domingo Esqueda of Adelanto, driving a 1991 Honda Accord, crashed into Bailey, his motorcycle and the pickup.

Esqueda is charged with felony drunken driving.

He and the other driver were taken to Arrowhead Regional and Loma Linda University Medical Center. Their conditions were not available Sunday.

"Never in the history of the CHP, have we seen this type of tragedy," Brown said about the numerous officer deaths. "This has to stop."

Brown said the proposed "stand down", which starts today, would allow the department to reflect on its practices and make sure it is being as safe as it can be.

"It's partly to make sure we're doing the right thing the right way," Brown said. "All of those officers (who were killed) were following procedure."

Brown, who will be in the area for a week, emphasized that there would be no interruption in services to the public.

Brown concluded the news conference at the CHP Rancho Cucamonga station, by asking drivers to "give our officers a little bit of a break" and "recognize that as a department we are hurting."

Bailey, a 10-year CHP veteran, transferred from Barstow to Rancho Cucamonga five years ago to pursue his dream of being on motorcycle patrol, CHP officials said.

The National Guardsman returned from a 14-month deployment in Iraq four months ago to his wife and four children.

"He returned in November and here we are in February getting ready to move him on," Brown said, his voice choking up.

Bailey's death has shaken the tightly knit Rancho Cucamonga department, said Officer Tony Nguyen.

"We are all close," he said. "This just reiterates the dangers that are out there."

Nguyen described Bailey as "a fun guy and a real cowboy" who loved country music and even showed up to Christmas parties in full cowboy garb.

Sgt. Ben Nocon said Bailey was easy going, but a hardworking officer whose fervent patriotism equaled his love for his family.

The American flag outside the station on Pittsburg Avenue flew at half staff Sunday, and officers wore black bands over their CHP badges.

The ritual is all too familiar given the recent string of on-duty deaths:

Officer Earl Scott was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Modesto on Feb. 17.

Lieutenant Michael E. Walker was struck and killed by a vehicle while at the scene of an accident near Santa Cruz on Dec. 31.

Officer Erick Manny was killed while pursuing a vehicle on the Grapevine Overpass in Kern County on Dec. 21.

Officer Andrew Stevens was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Woodland on Nov. 17. Officer David Romero was on patrol on Sept. 23 in the City of Industry when a vehicle struck him from behind and killed him.

The deaths have a traumatizing effect on officers and staff, said Sgt. Kevin Eads, who worked with Bailey in the CHP Barstow office.

"All of us are just kind of numb. We have a job to do, but it makes it tough when he's on your mind all the time," Eads said.

Eads spoke with Bailey after Bailey returned from Iraq.

"When I talked with him, it was just clear he was glad to be home and with his family," Eads said.


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