A California Highway Patrol sergeant who was struck and killed by a DUI suspect during a traffic stop earlier this month will be remembered Tuesday at a memorial service in Riverside.
Watch Live: Refresh this page to watch the memorial service at 10 a.m.
A long line of motorcycle officers followed a hearse carrying the body of Sgt. Steve Licon, a 27-year veteran of the CHP, from the funeral home to the memorial service. The processio passed under a U.S. flag suspended between two fire truck ladders.
His remains will arrive at Harvest Christian Fellowship church in Riverside for a 10 a.m. service.
Licon, 53, died following the collision April 6 on the side of the 15 Freeway in Lake Elsinore. He was just months away from retirement.
Along with Licon’s family, friends and colleagues, representatives from law enforcement agencies throughout California — and possibly several neighboring states — are expected to attend Tuesday’s service
Flowers, candles and other items were left outside the CHP station in Riverside in the days following Licon’s death. Colleagues described Licon as a exemplary law enforcement officer who loved his job.
“I saw him as a mentor,” said CHP Officer Mario Lucio. “I credit him for being where I’m at today. The guy really spent time developing the officers that he supervised.”
Licon is survived by his wife, daughter and step-daughter.
The motorcycle officer was on the shoulder of the road when he was struck by a Toyota Corolla. Michael Callahan, 36, of Winchester, was traveling on the right shoulder of the freeway and collided with the CHP motorcycle, according to the CHP.
The suspect was charged with second-degree murder.
In a statement, the district attorney’s office said the murder charged was based, in part, on a 2004 misdemeanor DUI conviction the defendant received in Orange County. He was sentenced to three years of probation, a condition of which require him to attend Mothers Against Drunk Driving classes.
Licon was part of the saturation patrol deployed to Lake Elsinore and the Temescal Valley for weekend enforcement that began in late March in response to the “superbloom” crunch that brought traffic to a standstill and created numerous public safety hazards as visitors flooded Walker Canyon to view carpets of blooming flowers. A greater number of CHP officers and Riverside County sheriff’s deputies were put on duty to contend with the dramatically increased traffic volume that prompted multiple road closures.
Procession Route
- The procession will proceed from Acheson and Graham Mortuary
- Exiting the Mortuary right onto Magnolia Avenue to Madison Avenue
- Left onto Madison Avenue, to Arlington Avenue
- Left onto Arlington Avenue, to Adams Street
- Right onto Adams Street and arrive at Harvest Christian Fellowship
Photo Credit: CHP Placerville
Source: NBC Los Angeles