California Highway Patrol, California
End of Watch: Sunday, May 17, 1942
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 3 weeks
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: May 17, 1942
Weapon Used: Automobile; Alcohol involved
Suspect Info: Charged with negligent homicide
Officer Eliot Daley was killed when the patrol car he was riding in was struck by a drunk driver near Tormey Hill in Contra Costa County.
He and his training officer were responding to an accident with injury call when a drunk driver crossed the center line and collided with their patrol car head-on, pushing it into a third car and causing it to flip over. Officer Daley was killed in the collision and his training officer was seriously injured.
The 35-year-old drunk driver was arrested and charged with felony drunk driving and negligent homicide. His trial ended with a deadlocked jury.
Officer Daley had graduated from the academy only three weeks earlier.