Riverside Police Department, California
End of Watch: Sunday, July 12, 1998
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 6 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: July 11, 1998
Weapon Used: Automobile; Alcohol involved
Suspect Info: Charged w/ felony drunk driving
Officer Claire Connelly succumbed to injuries sustained the previous day when she was struck by a drunk driver.
During the early morning of Sunday, July 11, 1998, Officer Connelly was investigating a traffic collision on a roadway in the city of Riverside when she was struck by a drunk motorist. The drunk driver’s vehicle then collided with a parked tow truck, injuring the tow truck driver. Officer Connelly suffered head, pelvic, and abdominal injuries. The tow truck driver, who suffered knee and other moderate injuries as a result of the collision, was able to use Officer Connelly’s police car radio to call for help. A 34-year-old woman was later arrested for felony drunk driving and hit-and-run.
Officer Connelly was removed from life support on July 12, 1998, becoming the Riverside Police Department’s first female police officer to die in the line of duty.
Officer Connelly had served with the Riverside Police Department for 18 months. She is survived by her parents, sister, brother, stepfather, stepmother, grandparents, and nephews.