Officer Gary Lee Hughes

Gary Lee Hughes

Officer Hughes was killed when his cruiser was struck from behind by a drunk driver.

He and his partner had just arrested another drunk driver, and he and Officer Hughes were sitting in the back seat of his cruiser, which was still parked on the shoulder. The driver of a wrecker was preparing to tow the suspect's truck. A pickup truck driven by the second drunk driver swerved off the road and crushed the patrol car killing Officer Hughes and seriously injuring his partner, who was standing outside of the vehicle. The force of the impact slammed the patrol car into his partner and the wrecker driver, who died from injuries he received in a hospital a few days later. The drunk driver who was arrested first was slightly injured.

The 27-year-old driver of the pickup truck was charged with felony drunk driving and two counts of manslaughter.

Officer Hughes had been with the California Highway Patrol for 11 years.