Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Brett Oswald was killed when he was struck by a vehicle at the scene of an abandoned vehicle.
He responded to a report that a vehicle had hit a tree on South River Road, near Spanish Camp Road in Paso Robles. After investigating, Officer Oswald determined that no accident had occurred and that the vehicle was abandoned. He called for a tow truck and was waiting next to his patrol car when a passing vehicle crossed the double yellow lines and struck the patrol car. The force of the impact pushed the patrol car into him.
Officer Oswald was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.
The suspect was arrested and charged with felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and driving with a suspended license. She was found guilty of second-degree murder.
Officer Oswald had served with the California Highway Patrol for 20 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-8C757B37- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Brett is one person.
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Tributes
20 years. You could have gone home.
Officer Oswald gave the California Highway Patrol 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Oswald.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Brett James Oswald served in the U.S. Army (1984â1986) before joining law enforcement.
Officer Brett James Oswald is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 39.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At California Highway Patrol, 151 of 233 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 64.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Brett James Oswald's cause is highlighted.
How Brett James Oswald Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Brett James Oswald is highlighted in Jun.
Incident Location
Military Service
Brett James Oswald served in the U.S. Army (1984–1986) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Brett James Oswald’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
232 officers from California Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
