Police Officer Gary Dean Moss

Gary Dean Moss

Officer Gary Moss and his partner were critically injured when their police motorcycles broadsided a drunk driver's car when the driver pulled out in front of them. He and his partner were going after two speeding motorcycles when the wreck happened. Both were thrown over the car and onto the street. Officer Moss died from head injuries four days later.

His 28-year-old partner broke both his arms, both his legs, clavicle, and pelvis. He spent several months in the hospital and had to return numerous times for operations. He was never able to run again and had pain and problems walking the rest of his life. He was forced to retire from the police department.

He said his pain turned to disgust in court with the 23-year-old drunk driver. The jury found him guilty of drunk driving but acquitted him of felony manslaughter. The jury said the officers were at fault because they were speeding. He never spent a day in jail.

Officer Moss had been employed with the Hermosa Beach Police Department for 15 months, and is survived by his parents and two brothers.