Kern County (CA) Deputy Killed, another injured

[PapaBear]

LAMONT --


A Sheriff's deputy was killed and another one seriously injured late Friday in a collision on Weedpatch Highway and Blackburn Street.

Dep. James Throne, 29, was driving in his patrol car in pursuit of a suspect of a theft at a Lamont store when he was hit by the patrol car of Dep. David Swanson, 30.

Kern County firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to extract both deputies from their vehicles. Dep. Throne died at Kern Medical Center, while Dep. Swanson was taken to KMC with major injuries that do not appear to be life-threatening.

"He was a star," Sheriff Donny Youngblood said of Dep. Throne, citing his outstanding personnel file.

Throne and Swanson have been with the department for two years. Both have brothers who are officeers with the Taft police department.

Throne is survived by a wife and three children.

[gozling]

omg that is so tragic!

[Jenna]

Rest in peace.

[Willowdared]

Thoughts and prayers en-route.

[CTR man]

Damn it!!! This is the Sheriff's Dept that had the phrase "We'll kick your ass and take your donuts, too." that I posted here just a few weeks ago. This is getting up toward my neck of the woods in Central CA. All for a shoplifting incident. Damn it!!!

http://www.odmp.org/officer/19385-de...f-james-throne

Be safe out there guys and my condolences to the families of the fallen and their coworkers.

http://www.officerresource.com/forum...5&postcount=10

Here is a link from the local paper there.

http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/453630.html

Deputy killed, another injured in crash

By EMILY HAGEDORN and CHRISTINE BEDELL, Californian staff writers
e-mail: ehagedorn@bakersfield.com, cbedell@bakersfield.com | Saturday, May 24 2008 8:24 AM

Last Updated: Saturday, May 24 2008 7:57 PM
Memorial Day weekend opened tragically when one sheriff’s deputy was killed and another critically injured after they collided responding to a call north of Lamont late Friday.

Photos:


A family photograph of 29-year-old James Throne of Bakersfield. Throne had been on the force for 2 1/2 years and once worked for the Taft Police Department, officials said at a press conference this afternoon. He and his wife, Amanda, have three children, ages 12, 10 and 7.

A Sheriff's Department handout photograph of 30-year-old Doug Swanson, who has been on the force for two years.

Photo by Casey Christie
California Highway Patrol Officer Bright from Bakersfield continues his investigation early Saturday morning on Highway 184, north of Lamont, where two sheriff's vehicles collided late Friday night. One deputy was killed and another injured. The investigation lasted all night and the highway was reopened just before 8 a.m. Saturday. This vehicle was towed away a few minutes after this photo was taken.

Photo by Casey Christie
California Highway Patrol officers and a Caltrans employee work the two-vehicle crash scene early Saturday morning.

Photo by Casey Christie
California Highway Patrol Officer Jeff Lawwon, left, assigned to the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team surveys the two Kern County sheriff's deputy vehicles that were in a crash Friday night on the back of tow trucks Saturday morning on Highway 184, north of Lamont.

Photo by Casey Christie
A street sweeper cleans Highway 184 Saturday morning where two Kern County sheriff's deputies collided last night north of Lamont and south of Highway 58. The highway was reopened shortly after this photo was taken. Two vehicles in the accident are on the tow trucks at right.

Killed was 29-year-old James Throne of Bakersfield, a father of three who’d been on the force for 2 1/2 years and once worked for the Taft Police Department, Sheriff Donny Youngblood said at a press conference Saturday afternoon.

Throne collided with 30-year-old Deputy Doug Swanson of Bakersfield, who has been on the force for two years, officials said. He was listed in critical condition at Kern Medical Center with a broken arm, leg and pelvis plus a cracked vertebrae, Youngblood said.

He’s expected to survive. Swanson is married with two children, a boy and a girl, neighbor Reyes Reyna said.

“It’s no different than a family member who dies unexpectedly,” Youngblood said. “It takes time.”

The patrol cars crashed at Blackburn Street and Weedpatch Highway about 11:35 p.m., officials said. Both deputies were responding to a foot chase in the area.

Throne was driving a marked patrol car westbound on Blackburn without sirens on while Swanson was driving a marked car northbound on Weedpatch with emergency lights and sirens activated, California Highway Patrol and sheriff’s officials said.

A stop sign at the intersection gives motorists on Weedpatch Highway the right of way.

The CHP said as Swanson approached the intersection, Throne pulled into it, directly into Swanson’s path.

“There’s just such an irony there,” Youngblood said of the collision. “This appeared to be a perfect storm.”

The exact cause of the crash was still under investigation, the highway patrol said. Officials didn’t know how fast the deputies were going.

The foot chase involved a suspect who’d taken something from an area store, Youngblood said. He didn’t know if the suspect was caught and called the crime unimportant in light of the tragedy.

Both Swanson and Throne have brothers in the Taft Police Department who were working Friday night, Youngblood said. Swanson also has a sister-in-law who works for the CHP and responded to the crash.

Fourteen firefighters responded to the accident, using the jaws of life and administering medical aid to both deputies, according to the Kern County Fire Department. Both deputies were taken to KMC, one by ground and the other by helicopter.

The deputies’ supervisor at the Lamont substation stood by Swanson’s friends and family at KMC Saturday afternoon.

“Your only thought while you’re trying to get there is ‘How are they?’” said Sgt. Mike Dunham. “What happened or how it happened is at least secondary.”

Dunham described the mood as one of disbelief: “It’s a universal feeling that one moment everybody is thinking about the future and the next moment it’s gone.”

[Pudge]

Rest easy

[narcodog]

What a shame. RIP and a quick recovery.

[lewisipso]

RIP.

[iso607]

Rest in peace brother.
Thoughts and prayers enroute.

[Captain America]

God Bless both of these Deputies.

[ex401mp]

The ultimate in bad luck. I hope that the surving deputy recovers fully, and I hope the other deputy rests in peace. Three kids, damn what a serious shame.

[Just KC]

Incredibly sad