California Highway Patrol, California
End of Watch: Friday, June 5, 1998
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: 14752
Cause of Death: Automobile crash
Date of Incident: June 5, 1998
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: None arrested
Officer Christopher Lydon was killed in a single-car crash as he and his partner were responding to a call of a drunk driver on Highway 67 in Lakeside around 12:30 am.
As they were attempting to intercept the drunk driver, the cruiser went over an embankment, crashed through two fences, rolled over, and struck a tree on the driver's side. Officer Lydon was killed instantly, but his partner was able to free himself. Both airbags were deployed, and both officers were believed to be wearing seatbelts.
Officer Lydon was a United States Marine Corps Operation Desert Storm veteran and had served with the California Highway Patrol for two years. He is survived by his parents.