California Highway Patrol, California
End of Watch: Tuesday, July 4, 1972
Age: 25
Tour of Duty: 9 months
Badge Number: 7839
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: July 4, 1972
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer Dana Paladini was killed when he was accidentally struck by a bullet that ricocheted off of a trailer.
He and a local sheriff's deputy stopped to assist at an accident involving a horse trailer. One of the horses was badly injured, and the owner asked the officers to shoot it. The deputy fired three rounds, one of which ricocheted off of the trailer and struck Officer Paladini.
He was transported to the St. Francis hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.
Officer Paladini was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the California Highway Patrol for nine months. He was survived by his mother.