In loving memory of Officer Juan Gonzales

California Highway Patrol

End of Watch: 2/17/2014

California Highway Patrol Officer Juan Gonzalez, 33, and a 2nd officer, Brian Law, were killed around 6 a.m. February 17th in a multi-vehicle crash on Highway 99 in Kingsburg.

According to the CHP, a pickup truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and the Ford F150 careened into the center divider. It came to rest in the wrong direction with its lights off. Several vehicles, including the CHP patrol car, then became involved in a chain reaction collision.

CHP Capt. Dave Paris says the officers initially were driving southbound to the accident that had been reported on the northbound portion of Highway 99. They discovered that the collision was actually on the southbound part of the highway and that one of the persons involved was on the road.

The two male officers, both in their 30s, tried to swerve out of the way to avoid the pedestrian, lost control of their vehicle and slammed into a guardrail. They died after their vehicle overturned.

Officer Gonzalez had 6 years on the job with CHP. He is survived by his sister and mother.